What to Do if Your Sidewalk Hasn’t Been Shoveled
If you’re trying to get somewhere this week and there’s a mountain of snow left by the weekend storm in your path, Mayor de Blasio wants to help. On Monday, in response to complaints about businesses with unplowed sidewalks, the mayor said that the city would “definitely be focusing today on businesses that aren’t doing that–we will be applying fines to any business that does not shovel out” (h/t DNAinfo).
City code states that “every owner, property manager, tenant or other individual in charge of a lot or building must clean snow and ice from the sidewalks in front, on the side of and in back of their properties within a certain time frame.” The snow officially stopped falling at 3:30am on Sunday, meaning that anyone with shoveling to do had until 11 a.m. Monday to get the job done before the possibility of getting hit with fines.
Photo via 6sqft
Fines start at $100 to $150 for a first offense; $150 to $350 for a second; and $250 to $350 for a third or subsequent offense. This is in addition to legal liabilities for any injuries incurred on their un-shoveled walks. Just how much shoveling is enough? According to the mayor, about three or four feet should be cleared, enough room to allow a wheelchair or a baby stroller to get by; fire hydrants near your property should also be cleared.
So what should you do if you see a snowy mess? Call 311 to report it or register a complaint for that address online. Similarly, you can make a complaint about snowy or icy streets and roads here. And if you want to make some money from the situation, the city is hiring temporary snow laborers.
[via DNAinfo]
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Lead image via Clean It Supply
