Council adopts ordinance clarifying sidewalk snow-removal responsibilities and business district exceptions

Escanaba City Council on Aug. 7 adopted Ordinance 1313, which amends section 24-19 of the municipal code to add time requirements for sidewalk snow removal, refine the definition of the business district and clarify when the city will remove snow.

Under the adopted language, the business-district area where the city may push snow into the street for removal is limited to Ludington Street east of Lincoln Road and adjusted boundary descriptions beginning at Second Street rather than Third Street in one segment. The ordinance also formalizes a 25% administrative fee charged when the city or a contractor is ordered to remove sidewalk snow and subsequently bills the property owner. City code-enforcement staff will be responsible for enforcement and the city said the winter schedule of code-enforcement duties allows both business and residential enforcement.

Councilors discussed enforcement capacity and where the 25% fee appears in the ordinance; staff pointed to the ordinance sections where that fee is included. The ordinance passed on second reading after a public hearing.