Sandy police warn, cite owners as they aim to keep cars off streets during winter storms

SANDY, Utah — Police were actively warning and citing car owners Wednesday following a powerful winter storm at the beginning of the week.

The warnings were given ahead of looming storms to prevent street-parked cars from narrowing already narrow streets.

Sgt. Greg Moffitt with the Sandy Police Department said officers had already cited nearly 50 car owners earlier Wednesday and he said officers planned to be out on the streets again early Thursday as they hoped to send a message that cars should not be parked on the street for extended periods of time in violation of a city ordinance.

“We’d prefer to not have to cite vehicles but we’re kind of getting to that point now with these series of storms that are coming through,” Moffitt told KSL TV. “You’re running a risk as a vehicle owner to leave your car in the road—a plow could hit it, another vehicle could slide into it.”

Moffitt said per the ordinance, overnight parking is prohibited from November to April and cars are also not supposed to be parked on the street for more than an hour during a snowstorm.

Following a powerful winter storm that left over a foot of snow on the east bench of the city, additional rounds of storms were expected Thursday into Friday and Tuesday into Wednesday next week.

“We have 386 miles of roadways that need to be, one, patrolled and, two, during a storm they need to be cleared,” Moffitt said. “We’re trying to be understanding, but at the same time, we really need to get those roads cleared.”

Mark Small, who lives on a street near Lone Peak Elementary, said the roads around his house often feel extra narrow during the winter and he approved of the law enforcement efforts to keep streets clear around storms.

“I’d say I’m totally for that for certain conditions — you know, during school hours, snow storms,” Small said. “At the times when it really congests the road, that would be super helpful.”