A snow plan that says “plow at two inches” is not really a plan. It is a sentence. A very optimistic sentence.
A complete snow removal plan should explain what the property needs to look like during a storm. It should identify who makes decisions. It should also account for the strange little details that become very large problems at 2:17 a.m.
Here is what facility managers should look for before winter arrives.
Tom Marsan, Beverly Companies
Start with the result, not the equipment
Snow contractors like to talk about equipment. Trucks are impressive and they need to be in the right spot at the right time. But the number of trucks does not tell you what condition your property will be in when employees arrive.
A good plan separates the scope of work from the level of service. The scope describes the work being performed. The level of service describes the outcome.
For example:
• Main entrances substantially clear before the first shift
• Accessible parking and routes continuously maintained
• Loading docks open before scheduled deliveries
• Primary traffic lanes passable throughout an extended storm
The current ANSI-recognized planning standard from the Snow & Ice Management Association recommends documenting the desired outcome, service initiation points, critical timeframes and property priorities. It also warns against promising anything more absolute than “substantially clear of hazards.” Snow is weather. It has not signed your contract.
Ask what happens when the forecast is wrong
Many plans are built around one number.
“Two to 30 inches.”
That’s about as precise as it gets during a Chicago winter. And it changes hourly. Your snow plan should do the same.
It should explain what changes during:
• A light nuisance event
• A normal plowable storm
• A prolonged storm
• Freezing rain
• Back-to-back events
• A high-end snowfall scenario
At what point is more equipment added? When does snow hauling begin? How often are priority areas reopened during a storm that lasts 18 hours?
Follow the water
During a preseason property walk, everyone notices the curbs. Fewer people notice the downspout aimed directly at the employee entrance.
Snow problems often begin as water problems. A roof drip line can freeze beside an entrance. A clogged drain can leave water sitting on the pavement. A poorly placed snow pile can melt across a walkway and refreeze overnight. A good snow plan identifies those trouble spots before winter does.
Snow piles deserve special attention. The pile may look perfectly harmless while frozen. Then the sun comes out and water travels downhill. The temperature drops and now the property now has a small skating rink.
A useful site map should show not only where snow can be placed but where the meltwater will go afterward. Plowed snow is still snow. It has simply been given a new address.
Treat accessibility as one continuous route
Clearing an accessible parking stall is not enough if the access aisle is buried. Clearing the aisle is not enough if the curb ramp is blocked. Clearing the curb ramp is not enough if the sidewalk ends at a mountain of plowed snow.
A strong plan treats it all as one connected system.
The site map should clearly mark the entire route. It should also prevent crews from using accessible stalls or access aisles as convenient snow-storage areas.
Decide who is allowed to make decisions
This may be the most overlooked part of the plan.
Who can authorize an additional salt application? Can the contractor respond to refreezing without waiting for approval? Can a night security officer request service? What happens if the property manager does not answer?
A good plan names the people or positions with authority for initiating and stopping services. It should also include an escalation process and current contact information. SIMA’s standard identifies service controls and communication authority as core planning requirements.
Without this, the contractor may see a hazard and wait for permission. And ice is famously patient.
Make sure the equipment fits the property
The plan should account for the physical limits of the property. Some equipment may be too tall for a parking garage. Other machines may be too heavy for a deck or too wide for a narrow service lane. Gates and security access can also slow down a crew. A good plan identifies those restrictions before equipment is assigned to the site.
It’s also important to ask where the equipment is coming from. Is it staged on the property? Is it assigned to a nearby route? What is the backup plan if the primary machine breaks down?
Look for a material strategy, not “salt as needed”
Salt should not be treated like parsley at a restaurant. More is not automatically better.
A serious plan should address the materials being used and pavement conditions so the application rates are appropriate. It should also identify surfaces or environmental areas where certain products are restricted.
Pavement temperature matters because it can differ from air temperature and directly affects winter treatment decisions. Ask whether the contractor records the type and amount of material applied. “We put down plenty” is not especially useful data.
The SIMA-10-2025 Standard Practice for Procuring and Planning Snow and Ice Management Services addresses both sides of this issue. It calls for plans to identify approved materials as well as prohibited products. It also calls for service records that document the type and amount applied.
The Standard also references the Snow & Ice Management Site Risk Evaluation Example. The tool was prepared by a joint task force of experts from Canada and the United States. It helps property teams find the conditions that cause repeat icing or unnecessary material use before winter begins.
Define when the storm is actually over
The snow may stop at noon. The snow plan should not.
The work should continue after the snow stops. Crews may need to clear drifting or cut back piles that block visibility. Drains should be reopened before melting begins. The plan should also explain when snow will be relocated or hauled away so storage space does not run out.
The plan should also establish who monitors the property between events. A contractor cannot address overnight refreezing if nobody is assigned to look for it.
Define post-storm requirements and ongoing surveillance for ice that forms after initial service has been completed.
Require documentation that tells a story
GPS dots are helpful. They prove that a truck visited. They do not prove what the truck found or what the operator did.
A complete service report should include aspects like start and finish times, site conditions, weather, air and ground temperatures, equipment used, services performed and the type and amount of deicer applied. Photos and GPS records can support that information.
Documentation should answer three simple questions:
What was the condition?
What action was taken?
What was the condition afterward?
That information helps with billing and complaints. It also reveals patterns. Perhaps one entrance repeatedly refreezes. Perhaps a snow-storage location blocks sightlines every January.
That is useful information. Much more useful than a folder containing 400 nearly identical photographs of trucks in the dark. The plan should make winter less exciting
The best snow removal plan will not predict every storm.
It will do something better. It will make the important decisions before the storm arrives. It will define priorities. It will uncover site problems. It will tell everyone what happens next.
That may sound boring. At 2:17 a.m. during freezing rain, boring is a luxury.
Tom Marsan is a certified snow professional who has been in the landscaping and snow removal industry for about two decades. He is an active member of Landscape Illinois, IREM, and SIMA and is currently the General Manager at Beverly Companies in Chicagoland.
