Battle Creek, MI Parking Rules: Snow Removal Parking Rules (2026)

Chapter 430 of the Battle Creek Codified Ordinances is the Snow Emergency Ordinance. It does not designate fixed snow emergency routes or an alternate-side schedule. Instead, Section 430.03 gives the City Manager authority to act when falling snow, sleet or freezing rain, or a forecast of them by the United States Weather Bureau or another weather service, makes additional steps necessary on City streets and sidewalks. Those steps include putting a parking prohibition into effect on all streets as necessary, to expedite traffic and allow snow plowing.

Once declared, the prohibition stays in effect until the City Manager terminates it by announcement, except that any street area cleared of snow and ice from curb to curb for the length of the entire block is automatically excluded. While it is in effect, no person can park or allow to remain parked any vehicle on any portion of a street, except in an emergency or in compliance with law or the direction of a police officer.

Section 430.05 controls notice. The City Manager must announce each declaration to all forms of media, including TV, radio and newspaper, post it on the City's website and social media channels, and use other messaging channels as appropriate. Each announcement must describe the action, say when it takes effect and name the streets or areas affected. A prohibition cannot take effect until at least three hours after it has been announced at least three times between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. on any day. Section 430.06 lets the City Manager end the prohibition in whole or in part, effective immediately upon announcement.

Section 430.04 covers stalled vehicles: during a snow emergency, the operator of a vehicle that stalls on a street with a covering of snow, sleet or ice, or under a parking prohibition, must immediately act to have it towed or removed. Section 430.07 gives the declared prohibition precedence over conflicting law, including Chapter 1280 of the Planning and Zoning Code, but not over traffic accident provisions, emergency travel by authorized emergency vehicles or emergency traffic directions by a police officer.