❄️ Winter Snow Removal
Operations & Enforcement
Durango West 1 Metro District staff is responsible for all snow removal within the subdivision. Snow removal operations follow established priorities to ensure safety, accessibility, and emergency access for all residents.
🚫 What NOT to Do During a Snowstorm
Do NOT push snow into the street.
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Snow must be shoveled, blown, or pushed onto your own property only.
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Placing snow in the roadway creates hazardous driving conditions and interferes with plowing operations.
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Snow pushed into the street often returns to driveways as added windrow accumulation.
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Shoveling snow into a public street is illegal in the State of Colorado.
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Violations are subject to fines per Durango West 1 Metro District policy.
Do NOT park on the street.
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Parking on subdivision streets is prohibited at all times and strictly enforced during winter months.
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Snowplows operate day or night, weekdays, weekends, during storms, and on clear days.
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Vehicles left in the roadway prevent proper plowing and may result in enforcement action.
✅ What Residents SHOULD Do
Clear along your curb line whenever possible.
Maintaining a clean, straight edge along the curb helps:
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Keep roads safely passable
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Protect landscaping
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Reduce windrow buildup at driveway entrances
🚜 Snow Plowing Priorities
Snow removal follows a strict priority system:
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Main Roads – Plowed first to ensure safe access into and out of the community.
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Secondary Roads – Addressed once main roads are passable.
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Cul-de-Sacs – Plowed after secondary roads are opened.
During active or severe storms, main roads may require repeated attention before other areas can be addressed. This approach ensures emergency vehicles can safely access the subdivision at all times.
District staff will typically make a full pass on main roads, then clear secondary roads and cul-de-sacs enough to open them. Once accessibility is ensured, crews will widen roads as conditions allow. Additional snow push-back may occur one or more days after a storm, including pushing snow into yards if necessary, to prepare roadways for future storms.
📍 Right-of-Way & Snow Storage
The District maintains a roadway easement extending approximately 15 feet from the curb onto private property. This easement allows snow to be pushed onto it for storage so roads can remain as wide and safe as possible.
When roads become too narrow, visibility is reduced and conditions become hazardous for drivers, pedestrians, and emergency responders. Snow may be placed within this easement area as needed, and residents should plan landscaping accordingly.
🧊 Snowpack & Road Conditions
For the safety of our crews and to prevent damage to plow equipment and road surfaces, snow cannot always be plowed down to bare pavement. Road conditions such as raised asphalt, gravel sections, and manhole covers make full pavement clearing unsafe.
Shaded and north-facing roads may retain snow and ice throughout the winter due to limited sun exposure. These conditions are unavoidable and may persist even after plowing and treatment.