I can make an argument that more people might walk in suburbia during a storm if they were unable to drive their cars.
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We have that, Municode 12-1037:
Sec. 12-1037. - CLEANING SIDEWALKS AND GUTTERS.
It shall be the duty of all occupants or tenants of improved property and of the owners of all vacant property in the City to keep sidewalks, parkways and gutters clean, and to do such cutting, sweeping and scraping as may be necessary to keep such sidewalks clean and free from weeds, grass, snow, ice, dirt and trash, and to render the same passable, comfortable, and sightly, and the gutter next to and along each sidewalk open and free from obstruction, for the full width of their respective fronts.
Violation of this section is a misdemeanor and may also be enforced through issuance of a civil penalty pursuant to §14-1005, through injunctive or other equitable relief, or a combination of remedies.
(Code 1959, §19-6; Ord. No. 2022-339, §34, 2-15-22)
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Good!
So the city’s responsibility is to enforce, not to do the clearing.
Sounds good on paper, but it looks like the city enforces this about as much as they do people parking their cars in bike lanes, or pilling their leaves up in the street.
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On the one hand, it snows so little that it’s not front on mind for anyone. On the other hand, the city manager and team should know what the city ordinances are and should at least have an answer for council when asked about it (at the very least).
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It could be a huge revenue stream for the city
The City operates on a violation by complaint system. So it is he who complains that gets his neighbor to clean off the snow. That is kinda what I am expecting as opposed to - everyone go clean off your snow or get a violation notice.
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Correct, file a see-click-fix or whatever it’s called now and the city comes out to verify and then sends the owner a letter to rectify the situation.
It worked for a tree blocking a sidewalk I use, but yeah snow is going to be way too temporary.
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Thanks for this. I have a fair amount of sidewalk (live on a corner) and was always under the impression that I had some responsibility, but was limited in what I could do. This makes it sound like I have more leeway that I thought. I wonder if this also applies to trees lining the sidewalk, as untrimmed city owned trees are a major contributor to unsafe sidewalks (in my area anyway). Constantly shedding limbs causing trip hazards, drooping limbs you may have to duck under, etc. My assumption was that trimming city owned trees was a no-no, but now I’m wondering if I can get away with it.
I don’t know where you are specifically but you can check to see if it’s a city owned tree here:
And obtain a tree impact permit if it’s a city tree:
Having said all that, unless you live on like Blount and Lane st, I don’t think it’s very strictly enforced. I’m out in the burbs and nobody cares.
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