Of course, it’s always the neighborly thing to do, but if you don’t shovel snow off your sidewalk, it’s possible the city of Durango could complicate your life.
Recent snows may have taxed some homeowners’ ability and time to clear the snow. But the city does have the authority to do the snow removal for you, then charge you for the expense, plus an additional $25.
It would likely take a complaint to set this process in action, Steve Barkley, code enforcement officer with the city, said Friday.
Property owners must remove snow within 24 hours after a storm, he said. If the city gets a complaint, it could give a homeowner a written warning to take care of a problem within 24 hours. After that time, the city could remove the snow, then assess a lien on the property for the removal cost plus an administrative fee.
Barkley said for a small parcel, this generally adds up to $50 to $75. It’s rare that a lien is assessed, but he recalled that one was made two or three years ago.
Although there are way too many sidewalks for code enforcement officers to check out after each storm, they do focus on a couple of areas if time permits.
“We’ll go out and get the hot spots,” Barkley said. “Definitely do a quick drive through downtown, and then we’ll hit up the areas around the schools and get with those property owners.”
There were complaints earlier in the week about snow on the sidewalk along U.S. Highway 160 just west of town, Barkley said.
When plows shove wet snow off the road it can be a problem there, as well as along north Main Avenue, where five lanes of snow are plowed off the road. Those sidewalks are looking pretty good now, he said Friday.
Enforcement officers do understand that it’s difficult for property owners in places where plows push snow, but the city ordinances still apply. Enforcement officers offer a couple of tips:
“We try to recommend as soon as it snows, get out there before the pedestrians start walking on it,” Barkley said. “Remove the snow off the sidewalk before it gets compacted.”
“If it’s just icy, throw some Kitty Litter down,” he said. Ice melt works, too, if you feel you must use it, but the city doesn’t recommend it.
And for those property owners who are curious, here’s the actual city ordinance on snow removal, section 21-36:
“It shall be the duty of the owner, tenant and occupant of any premises abutting or adjoining any public sidewalk to remove all snow and ice from such sidewalk.”
johnp@durangoherald.com
