Shovel – or Get Fined, Sued

This Winter Alert message came from the City’s public works this morning. [via NCP listserve]

Property owners, occupants and merchants are reminded of the City requirement to remove accumulated snow and ice from all walkways, driveways, parking lots and other areas used by pedestrians or automobiles. The owner or occupant of any property that abuts the sidewalk must clean public sidewalks of ice, sleet and snow for their full width.  It is required that snow and ice be removed within the first eight (8) hours of daylight after snowfall stops. These requirements are listed under City Code Sections 157-6(B)(10) and 141-5(A).

Though City code enforcement officers may not cite all such violations immediately after a storm, failure to comply with this regulation in a timely manner could be used as evidence by anyone injured in a fall on or adjacent to your property if you are sued for such injuries.

Be prepared! Keep snow shovels and salt ready for the next storm, and plan to have help available if necessary to make your walkway safe as soon as the snow stops falling.

Though most of our residents know these rules, I wonder how many of them, especially the elderly ones,  will be able to follow them when we are currently having epic proportion of snowfall in the region. Two days ago, a few of us went into the neighborhood, helping out the neighbors in clearing out the sidewalks. Unfortunately we could help only a few of them – digging through a knee-deep amount of snow took us a lot of time.

Noenetheless, if you *absolutely* need help in clearing out the sidewalks, please feel free to let me know – I’ll try my best to get volunteers to help out.