Oakland County is currently under a Winter Weather Advisory, with storms expected to begin in the middle of the week. We want to remind residents of the snow removal and snow emergency policies and procedures to best prepare for the periods of heavy snowfall.

The City of Ferndale has a Winter Maintenance Guide in place for periods of inclement weather. Streets are divided into five priorities and cleaned per the following schedule:

Per the City ordinance, snow must be cleared from the sidewalks on your property within 24 hours of accumulation. Be sure to pile snow onto your own yard or boulevard as opposed to streets or alleys. Citations may be issued if the snow is not removed within this time or has not been properly cleared.

In the event of an extreme accumulation of ice or snow, the City will declare a snow emergency. City policy states that snow emergencies will be ruled by the DPW Director when the need arises. Snow emergency declarations will be communicated via the City’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, website, cable channels (Comcast/Xfinity—channel 17, WOW (Wide Open West)—channel 10, AT&T U-Verse—channel 99), and text alert system.

In a snow emergency, all vehicles must be moved to allow the Department of Public Works (DPW) to clear roadways. The City provides designated snow emergency parking areas:

• West Breckenridge Parking Lot—Located just west of Woodward Ave. behind Treat Dreams/Citizens Bank
• East Breckenridge Parking Lot—Located just east of Woodward Ave. behind The Fly Trap
• Kulick Community Center—Located at 1201 Livernois Ave.
• Martin Rd. Park lot
• Harding Park Lot—Located on Mapledale Ave. at Wolcott St.
• The dot Level 2—Located at 221 W Troy St.

Parking in these lots is free during snow emergencies. Failure to move vehicles may result in a citation or towing.

Residents may be applicable for an exemption from this policy if they possess a state-obtained handicap place card, or they do not have a driveway. If you do not have a driveway, please submit a permit application. Applications must be verified, including a visual property inspection to make sure you qualify; please allow up to 48 hours for your application and permits to be processed.

For more information about the information above, please visit the Snow Removal page and the Snow Emergency page.