City of Plymouth Reminds Residents: 72-hour rule enforced to keep streets safe & passable during snow season

Wednesday, December 10, 2025 at 12:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Officers with the Plymouth Police Department are tagging vehicles that haven’t moved in several days. If you see an ORANGE TAG on your vehicle, you need to clean off the snow and move your vehicle within 72 hours, or it will be towed at the owner's expense. Plymouth Officers will also be tagging vehicles in city-owned parking lots as well as vehicles parked on city streets.

When cars are left on narrow neighborhood streets during and after a snow, plow drivers have a hard time safely getting down the street and clearing snow curb-to-curb, which opens up room for emergency vehicles, trash and recycling trucks, school buses, and everyday traffic. Blocked or partially plowed streets don’t just inconvenience neighbors; they can delay emergency response and create long-term ice ruts and drainage problems.

Under City ordinance, vehicles cannot remain parked in the same spot on a public street for more than 72 hours. That rule is especially important in the winter. If a vehicle is left on the street, covered in snow and not moved for days at a time, crews from the Plymouth Street Department cannot adequately plow the roadway. It also signals to Code Enforcement and Police that the vehicle may be abandoned or in violation.

To help us keep streets clear, avoid parking on the street during and immediately after a snowfall whenever possible. If you must park on the street, move your vehicle regularly and be sure it is not left in the same spot for more than 72 hours.

Police recommend you clear snow from your vehicle before driving, and the street department asks that you not shovel or blow snow back into the street after it has been plowed.

During and after significant snow events, city plow crews focus first on main routes and emergency corridors. They return to neighborhood streets as conditions improve and coordinate with Plymouth Police to address vehicles that have clearly not been moved and are preventing effective plowing.

In some cases, vehicles that remain parked on the street beyond the allowed time, or that obstruct plowing, may receive warnings, citations, or be subject to towing as a last resort.