HOA & PROPERTY MANAGEMENT · BISMARCK, ND
Grounds and Snow Contracts for HOAs and Property Managers
A good grounds and snow contract in Bismarck spells out exactly what gets done, when, how it’s priced and who’s responsible when something goes wrong.
For snow, it should clearly cover trigger depths, which areas get cleared first, where the snow goes, what ice melt is used and how visits are recorded.
For summer grounds, it means mowing frequency, sprinkler start-up and blowout, tree care and plant replacement. It also has to fit the city’s rules. Sidewalks must be cleared within 24 hours, and snow can’t go in the street.
This guide is for HOA boards, condo associations, apartment managers and small commercial property managers in Bismarck, Mandan and Lincoln.
CITY REQUIREMENTS
The City Rules Your Contract Has to Meet
These apply to businesses and associations, not just homeowners.
| Rule | What it says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Sidewalk snow | Clear within 24 hours after the snow stops, including crosswalk areas on corner lots. The city can clear it and bill the owner. | City Ordinance 10-03-04 |
| Snow in the street | Don’t push or blow lot or sidewalk snow into the street. Fines can reach $1,000, and it applies to snow contractors too. | City Ordinance 10-03-04 |
| Dumpsters | Clear snow around them so waste trucks can move them at least 7 feet | City of Bismarck |
| Hydrants | Clear 6 inches below all caps and 3 to 4 feet around | City of Bismarck |
| Tall grass | Cut when over 8 inches. Mandan’s limit is 6 inches. | City weed ordinances |
| Required landscaping | On sites under the city’s landscaping ordinance, “dead plants must be promptly removed and replaced within the next growing season” | Bismarck zoning code, Section 14-03-11 |
| Boulevard trees | Pruning, removal or planting needs a city Forestry permit. Ash isn’t allowed. | City of Bismarck Forestry |
Mandan also requires sidewalks cleared within 24 hours, but allows snow on the unpaved part of the boulevard. See Bismarck snow rules and commercial landscaping in Bismarck.
COMPARE CONTRACT TYPES
Snow Contract Pricing Models
Aspire, a software company for landscaping and snow businesses, laid out the common models in February 2026:
| Model | How it works | Good for the property | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonal | Fixed price up to set limits, like a number of events or hours | Predictable budget | Overage charges after the cap |
| Per push | Pay for each visit, triggered by snow depth | Pay only for snow that falls | Unknown total. Disputes over how much fell. |
| Per event | One price per storm, scaled by severity | Simple billing | Hard to forecast per storm |
| Time and materials | Hours worked plus materials | Fair for odd jobs | Aspire calls it a possible “blank cheque” |
| Hybrid | Seasonal base for labor, salt billed by actual use | Labor cost is predictable | Two parts to track |
Aspire suggests basing seasonal pricing on a 5- to 10-year snowfall average. In Bismarck, that average is about 50.5 inches a year, based on NOAA’s 1991 to 2020 normals. Big winters do happen. The record is 101.6 inches in 1996 to 1997. So ask what happens after the cap.
SNOW SERVICE SCOPE
What a Snow Contract Should Spell Out
Triggers and Timing
- Plow trigger: the snow depth that starts a visit. Aspire’s examples are plowing at 2 inches and salting at 1 inch.
- Big storms: whether a large storm counts as more than one event. Aspire’s example counts 8 inches or more as two.
- Timing: when walks and lots will be done after snow stops, keeping the city’s 24-hour sidewalk rule in mind.
- Drifting: whether return trips for wind-blown snow are included. On open north-side sites, drifts can refill a drive after the storm ends.
Priority Order
List what gets cleared first, for example:
- Entrances, ramps and fire lanes
- Public sidewalks, to meet the 24-hour rule
- Main drive lanes
- Parking stalls
- Dumpster pads and mailboxes
Where the Snow Goes
Attach a site map that marks snow storage areas. Snow can’t go in the street, and piles shouldn’t block hydrants, dumpsters, sight lines at exits or storm drains. Big piles that sit on turf all winter can leave snow mold behind, so plan for spring repair. If the site runs out of room, the contract should say whether snow gets hauled and how that’s billed.
Ice Melt
Name the product and how it’s billed. Iowa State Extension says rock salt works down to about 15°F, magnesium chloride to about -13°F and calcium chloride to about -20°F. With Bismarck January lows around 2°F, plain rock salt often isn’t enough. Keep salt off planting beds where you can. Salt buildup scorches shrubs and kills turf along walks.
Records
Ask for a log of every visit: date, arrival and departure times, areas cleared and ice melt used, with photos. If someone falls on the property, those records matter.
YEAR-ROUND GROUNDS
What a Grounds Contract Should Spell Out
- Mowing: frequency, height (about 3 inches for bluegrass) and what happens in a dry July when grass slows down
- Fertilizing and weed control: how many applications and when. NDSU’s schedule centers on Memorial Day and Labor Day.
- Sprinklers: spring start-up around mid-May, monthly checks and a fall blowout before the first hard freeze, around 28°F
- Cleanups: spring and fall, with leaves and branches hauled to the right city sites
- Trees: pruning, ash tree decisions now that emerald ash borer is in Bismarck, and boulevard permits
- Beds and plant replacement: who replaces dead plants, and by when, if the site falls under the city’s landscaping ordinance
- Extras: how out-of-scope work gets approved and priced before it’s done
PROOF OF COVERAGE
Licenses and Insurance to Ask For
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| North Dakota contractor license | Required for jobs over $4,000. Check the Secretary of State’s FirstStop search. |
| City of Bismarck Commercial Arborist License | Required for paid tree pruning or removal in Bismarck. Requires ISA certification or a City Forester certificate plus $2,000,000 in liability insurance. |
| Commercial pesticide applicator certification | Required for anyone spraying weeds or other pesticides for hire in North Dakota |
| WSI workers’ comp coverage | North Dakota employers must get it from Workforce Safety and Insurance before hiring their first worker |
| Certificate of liability insurance | Ask for one every season, and ask whether your association can be named as an additional insured |
Have your association’s attorney or insurance agent review the indemnity and liability terms. That’s not something to sign on a handshake.
AFTER THE THAW
Spring Damage and Who Pays
Plows and blowers scrape turf, chip curbs and break sprinkler heads. Salty snow kills grass along walks. The contract should say:
- Who marks curbs, sprinkler heads and edges with stakes before the ground freezes
- Who repairs turf, curbing and heads damaged during snow work, and by when
- How the lawn is restored in spring, such as raking, topsoil and reseeding
PLANNING AHEAD
When to Sign
Sign snow contracts by early fall. Bismarck averages about 2.5 inches of snow in October, so waiting for the first storm leaves you choosing from whoever has room. Grounds contracts are easiest to sign in winter for the next season, before crews fill up for spring.
BEFORE YOU SIGN
Contract Checklist
- Clear scope for each season, with a site map
- Snow trigger depths for plowing and salting
- Priority order and timing that meet the 24-hour sidewalk rule
- Snow storage areas, with no snow going into the street
- Ice melt product, rate and billing method
- Pricing model, caps, overage rates and minimums
- Visit logs with times and photos
- Mowing, fertilizing, sprinkler and cleanup schedule
- Tree work and boulevard permits, by a licensed arborist
- Plant replacement terms, if the site is under the landscaping ordinance
- Damage repair terms for turf, curbs and sprinkler heads
- Licenses, WSI coverage and a current certificate of insurance
- Term, renewal and how either side can end the contract
Questions
HOA and Property Manager Contract FAQ
Answers about snow triggers, seasonal pricing, city rules and contractor requirements.
Questions about your property?
Call to discuss a written maintenance and snow plan.
What should a snow removal contract include?
Trigger depths, a priority order, timing that meets Bismarck’s 24-hour sidewalk rule, a snow storage map, the ice melt product and how it’s billed, the pricing model with caps and overages, visit logs with photos, damage repair terms, and proof of licenses and insurance.
Is a seasonal or per-push snow contract better?
It depends on what the association values. Seasonal contracts give a predictable budget, but watch the caps and overage charges. Per-push contracts mean you pay only for snow that falls, but the yearly total is unknown. Some contracts use a seasonal base with salt billed by actual use.
What snow depth should trigger plowing?
It’s set in the contract. A common example, used in Aspire’s 2026 pricing guide, is plowing at 2 inches and salting at 1 inch. Entrances and sidewalks may need attention at lower depths so the property meets the city’s 24-hour sidewalk rule.
Do Bismarck’s sidewalk rules apply to HOAs and businesses?
Yes. City Ordinance 10-03-04 requires owners and tenants, including businesses and associations, to clear sidewalks within 24 hours after the snow stops. Snow can’t be pushed into the street, and fines can reach $1,000, including for snow contractors.
When should an HOA sign a snow contract?
By early fall. Bismarck averages about 2.5 inches of snow in October, so waiting until the first storm leaves fewer options. Grounds contracts for the next season are easiest to sign over the winter.
What licenses should a grounds contractor have in Bismarck?
A North Dakota contractor license for jobs over $4,000, a City of Bismarck Commercial Arborist License for tree work, commercial pesticide certification for weed spraying, WSI workers’ comp coverage for employees, and a current certificate of liability insurance.
Bismarck Landscape
Need a Proposal for Your Property?
We’ll walk the site with your board or manager, map the snow storage and put the scope, triggers and pricing in writing. Call Bismarck Landscape at (701) 299-0740.
See our contact options and snow removal in Bismarck.