Housing policies during the winter months Published Dec. 10, 2013 By Senior Airman Stephanie Sauberan Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- A fresh blanket of snow covers the ground at Minot Air Force Base as the holiday season approaches. Before base residents dig out their snow mobiles and holiday decorations, it is important to read the resident guide for new changes to policy. The Balfour Beatty Communities resident guide states when there is appropriate level of snowfall or ice conditions or if snow and ice create a safety concern, BBC will begin the snow removal process. The first priority of the plows, as dictated by housing policy, is to clear all residential roadways, followed by common areas, sidewalks in common areas, sidewalks in front of homes parallel to the street. It also allows the landlord to remove excess snow for as many times as the planned seasons snow-removal budget permits, from residents driveways. Residents are responsible for clearing the walkways from the driveway to their home, the front porch to the sidewalk, the back porch and the driveway once BBC is no longer able for the season. For those whose spouses are deployed with orders during the holiday season, BBC is able to offer assistance with snow removal, decorating and the creation of care packages to send to deployed family members through the Deployed Spouses Program, according to the BBC residents guide. BBC is awaiting the delivery of sand for the roadways but will do their best to clear busy intersections down to the asphalt in the interim to prevent sliding, said Waldren. During the winter months residents are asked to move their vehicles from the streets and into their respective driveways to facilitate snow removal. Residents should not park on the grass or curb, with the exception of government vehicles on official business. Any violation of this regulation will result in the vehicle being towed at the owner's expense. Pocket bikes, snowmobiles and all-terrain vehicles such as three wheelers and quads are not allowed to be ridden or stored in the housing area unless they are out of sight and in the garage. Trailers, pop-up campers and fishing boats are also not allowed in the housing community, but limited storage for these items is available at outdoor recreation, said Waldren. The snow plow operator has been successful in keeping the roads cleared curb to curb, and as such, residents will still be able to place trash cans on the curb in the mornings and store them in their garage at night, said Waldren. With the holidays fast approaching a number of residents have begun to place decorations in the yards and on the homes. Before decorating your home, here is a list of rules to follow: Exterior decorations may be lit between the hours of 6 p.m. - 11 p.m. (the week after Thanksgiving through New Year's Day). Seasonal decorations must be removed no later than the third week of January. Rooftop decorations are prohibited. Materials used to decorate must be fire resistant. Nails, spikes, building staples or any other type of fastener that leaves permanent damage are prohibited. All lights and fixtures must be listed or labeled by a nationally recognized testing agent for indoor or outdoor use as applicable. Do not line sidewalks with lights. Do not use indoor extension cords for outdoor decorations. Candle luminaries or other open flame decorations are prohibited. Attaching chains to tree limbs or driving nails anywhere into a tree is prohibited. When BBC began its partnership with the Air Force at Minot, they were starting out with a new staff in a new place, and they had a lot of change and challenges to overcome said Waldren. However, they are confident that if residents allow them to show what they can do and continually give feedback, BBC will be able to build a better community for everyone. For more information regarding topics covered in this article contact Balfour Beatty Communities Housing and Leasing at 727-0007 or Housing Maintenance at 727-9312. (Information from the Balfour Beatty Communities Resident Guide was used in this story)