Council hears proposal to move sidewalk snow-and-ice enforcement to inspections and permits, create clearing timeline and fees

On Sept. 9 the council reviewed a draft ordinance that would move enforcement of snow- and ice-removal from the police department to Inspections & Permits (INP), set a 24-hour post-event clearing requirement for sidewalks, and allow the county to remove hazards and recover costs when owners do not comply.

Ethan Hunt presented the administration’s intent, saying the current complaint-driven $10 penalty enforced by police is ineffective. Under the draft, a property owner would have 24 hours from the end of a winter weather event to clear adjacent sidewalks; if a complaint triggers an INP inspection and the walkway remains uncleared after 24 additional hours, the county would clear the sidewalk and charge the property owner. The draft includes exemptions for households where all residents are age 55 or older and for disabled residents; it also allows county staff to prioritize enforcement when contractors are backlogged during large storms.

Councilmembers pressed staff on practical details. Councilmember Pickard and others urged that the county itself be held accountable for clearing county-owned sidewalks and shared-use paths to schools; Public Works staff said many sidewalks are adjacent to county roadways and that the department is procuring contractor support to expand clearing capacity but that it would take time to scale up. Public Works said the county expects to pilot expanded contractor work and to prioritize school routes and shared-use paths, but it could not guarantee complete coverage in the first season.

Members raised concerns about exemptions and timing. Several said the 24-hour window may be short in a major storm and asked for flexibility where a contracted service is scheduled to clear a property. Staff said the complaint-driven step provides a practical mechanism: enforcement typically begins only after a complaint and then a notice and an additional 24-hour cure period before county work is charged to the owner. Members also asked staff to ensure ADA standards for minimum cleared width are included in guidance so a narrow furrow would not be treated as compliance.

No ordinance vote occurred; staff were asked to return with additional clarifying language about exemptions, enforcement priority (school routes and shared paths), ADA clearance standards, and implementation timing while the county develops contractor capacity to perform removals when needed.