City Services

3-1-1: The Minneapolis Portal for Non-Life Threatening Issues and City Services

The Minneapolis 3-1-1 system provides access to appropriate City services and resources to address crimes, misdemeanors, problems, resource needs and other issues that require City attention or assistance. As always dial 9-1-1 for life-threatening and other emergency situations requiring immediate response.

3-1-1 by phone: To access the 3-1-1 system by phone residents can dial 3-1-1- from anywhere in Minneapolis. If outside Minneapolis the phone number is (612) 673-3000. For TDD/TTY users the direct number is (612) 673-2157 Customer service agents are available 7 a.m. – 7 p.m., Monday – Friday and a message can left at any time.

3-1-1 by internet: To access the 3-1-1- system by internet go to www.minneapolismn.gov/311. The 3-1-1 website provides online information about and access to the full range of City services and how to obtain assistance.

What can 3-1-1 help with? 3-1-1 can help with just about anything, but for example:

Bicycle registration, Crime reporting, Debris in street, Environmental violations, Housing code violations and inspections, Long grass and weed complaint, Noise complaints, Parking meter issues and violations, Police officer complaints, Pothole reports. Road and lane closure updates, Sidewalk structure and maintenance issues, Street lights out, Taxi complaints, Tenant service requests, Traffic sign and signal issues, Water service or quality issues, Snow emergency parking rules, Where to vote, Home improvement permits, Residential block event permit, Utility billing. Rather than try to describe all that 3-1-1 can provide, visit www.ci.minneapolis.mn.us/311/online/index.htm and its full City Services directory.

Solid Waste and Recycling Collection

Minneapolis has a comprehensive program of solid waste, recycling, yard waste and organics collection for residents of the Como neighborhood. Schedules of collection vary by block. Information on collection at a specific address can be obtained by calling (612) 673-2917 or at the Minneapolis Solid Waste & Recycling website: minneapolismn.gov/solid-waste. The website provides a wide range of information about rules for sorting and pick-up of garbage, recycling, organics, yard waste and large items as well as collection facilities and events for hazardous waste collection. Through the website you can obtain specific information on collection for a specific address and can even set up personal e-mail reminders of bi-weekly recycling collection.

Solid waste and Recycling by phone: (612) 673-2917

Solid Waste and Recycling website: minneapolismn.gov/solid-waste

Parking Regulations

Parking is a challenge in many parts of the Como neighborhood. The ratio of vehicles to residents is high as is the number of vehicles that park in the neighborhood during normal work hours because of proximity to the University of Minnesota, local restaurants and business, religious institutions and weekend events at the University. The pressure on legal and convenient parking spaces tempts many residents and visitors to violate City ordinances.

The City Ordinance 478 on Parking, Stopping and Standing detailed and lengthy. For the most part it describes normal rules on which drivers are tested and that are well-posted on neighborhood streets. However, because these rules are so often violated within the Como neighborhood it is important that residents are engaged in reporting violations.

Some of the most common violations are:

Parking in no parking zones (permanent and temporary)

Parked vehicles that are blocking sidewalks

Vehicles parked on City streets without having been moved for 72 hours

Vehicles parked within 5 feet of the end of the outside edge of driveways or alleys;

Vehicles parked on or blocking a crosswalk;

Vehicles parked within 20 feet of a crosswalk at an intersection

Reporting parking violations is important to traffic control in SE Como.

You can report a violation on the internet (links below):

Report Parking Violation (Vehicles parked on streets/alleys)

Report Parking Violation (Vehicles parked on private property)

To report a parking violation, you should record:
◦ License plate number
◦ State that issued license plate (i.e. MN)
◦ Vehicle color
◦ Vehicle make
◦ Address (a full and accurate address is important)

 

When you submit the form, you will receive an email confirming your request. The email will have the case number and an expected completion date for your request.

You can phone in a violation report: Call 3-1-1 (see needed information above)

When a report is received, a traffic control agent will be sent out to the location of the parking complaint and will either cite the vehicle in violation or find the vehicle not in violation of any City parking ordinance.

Snow Emergencies and Routine Plowing

Snow emergencies are declared in Minneapolis following significant snowfall. One can be informed of a snow emergency through radio, television, the City’s website, other media, by calling (612)348-SNOW after a snowfall or by subscribing e-mail alerts
Subscribe to Snow E-mail Alerts . You can also register for telephone alerts or download the Minneapolis Snow Emergency app on the Minneapolis website.

Snow Emergency-Day 1: 9pm until 8am—No parking on any street with the red Snow Emergency Route signage. Parking is allowed once the street is plowed full width (both sides).

Snow Emergency-Day 2: 8am until 8pm—No parking on the EVEN numbered side of non-snow emergency streets (i.e., where the houses have even-numbered addresses).
Parking is allowed on Snow Emergency Routes and on the ODD-numbered side of the street. Once the even side of the street is fully plowed parking is allowed.

Snow Emergency-Day 3: 8am until 8pm—No parking on the ODD numbered side of the non-snow emergency streets (i.e., where houses have odd-numbered addresses). Parking is allowed on Snow Emergency Routes and on the EVEN-numbered side of the street. Once the odd side of the street is fully plowed parking is allowed.

Other winter plowing, sand/salt spreading and road maintenance takes place in the winter as well. Temporary parking restrictions may be posted to facilitate this work.

Failure to attend to restrictions associated snow plowing will lead to ticketing and towing to the Minneapolis Impound Lot (a very costly experience).

Winter Sidewalk Maintenance

Keeping our sidewalks free of ice and snow is the neighborly thing to do, but it is also the law. Without clear sidewalks all are impeded in getting around, but doing so is critically important to the safety and opportunity of people who use wheelchairs, persons who are elderly, and people pushing children in strollers to get out and about in the winter months.

Snow/ice removal requirements: Minneapolis City Ordinance requires that property owners clear sidewalks of ice and snow, specifically following the end of snowfall:

single family homes and duplexes have 24 hours to clear sidewalks

apartments, commercial buildings and all other properties have 4 daytime hours (daytime defined as after 8am) to clear sidewalks

Adequate snow and ice removal as defined by the City:

sidewalks shoveled on all sides of the property;

sidewalks shoveled to the full width of the sidewalk;

sidewalks shoveled down to the bare pavement;

all ice removed from sidewalks (deicer is available at local hardware stores);

snow piled on yard and/or boulevard. (It’s illegal to shovel snow into streets.); and

corner properties must clear ramps at corners and crosswalks to the street gutter.
(Residents are not required to clear snow ridges left by the plows, but City crews are
slow to do this work, so extra effort by residents will make for a safer. more accessible
neighborhood.)

There can be a cost to not clearing a sidewalk:

If the City of Minneapolis gets a complaint or discovers that a sidewalk has not been cleared, it will inspect the sidewalk and give the property owners a chance to clear it.

If the sidewalk has not been cleared upon re-inspection, the property owner may be issued a citation with a fine, crews will remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk, and property owners will be billed for the service.

Please remember:
Residents are responsible for clearing ice as well as snow. Ice can be more dangerous and intimidating than snow.

Arrange for someone to shovel anytime you are away.

Residents must shovel around your garbage carts and recycling bins. If the City does it a fee will be charged.

If sand is needed for icy patches the City offers free sidewalk sand for Minneapolis residents.

To help the keep Como safe and accessible please report unsafe walkways:

Via web link: Report snow and ice on sidewalks (web link); or

Telephone: 3-1-1

Noise and Civil Disturbance

In Minneapolis, it is unlawful to:

Participate in noisy and unruly gatherings,

• Use sound amplification without a special city permit, or
Permit your property to be used for noisy or unruly assemblies.

The definition of a “Noisy or Unruly Assembly” is:

A gathering of more than one person

Occurring between 10pm and 6am

Noisy or illegal conduct that would be likely to cause significant discomfort or annoyance to a reasonable person of normal sensitivities…considering the time of day and residential character of the area

(Chapter 389 of the Minneapolis, Minn. Code of Ordinances)

To have these laws enforced, call 9-1-1 when the disturbance is occurring. Responding officers may:

Warn the individuals to become quiet and/or break up the party. (If the party continues and the police are called back, the officers are more apt to cite participants if they have been warned.)

Cite individuals who are hosting and participating in the activity. The maximum penalty for most citations is a fine of $1,000 or 90 days in jail, or both;

Document the event for additional actions, including possible action against the property owner or landlord.

After an event which is between 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., a Police Department crime prevention specialist may send a warning to the owner of the property, whether the property is rental or owner‐occupied. The warning outlines that if there is another similar event within the next 180 days, the owner can be fined $200; and for each event after that the fine will double to up to $2,000. If parties persist at a property, the property owner can lose the right to hold a rental license on the property.

What you can do:

• Call 9-1-1 when the disturbance is occurring. Note that 911 calls are prioritized, with life‐threatening situations and in‐progress property crimes having priority.

Call 9-1-1 back if the situation changes i.e. if the party ended, breaks up, reconvened or the situation escalates.

With more than half of the Como neighborhood population between the ages of 18 and 24 years noise disturbance is common. While these residents make the Como neighborhood a lively places to live, they can sometimes forget their civil obligations. By expecting all Como residents to behave with the rights of their neighbors in mind important life lessons can be imparted.