Southampton board schedules public hearing on making property owners responsible for sidewalk snow and ice removal

Town highway staff asked the Town of Southampton board to consider a code amendment that would make property owners responsible for snow and ice removal on sidewalks, a change staff said is prompted by nearly four miles of new sidewalks the town has installed.

"We're asking the town to mimic many other municipalities where the property owner is responsible for the snow and removal of their sidewalks," a member of the highway staff said during the work session, arguing the added mileage has created an unsustainable maintenance burden for highway crews. Staff said clearing long stretches of sidewalk increasingly requires hiring external vendors and diverts general-fund resources.

Board members said the proposal should be refined before any vote. One member raised concerns about senior homeowners and families that rely on walkable school routes, noting ticketing and fines may not be an adequate remedy for residents who cannot afford or physically perform snow removal. "If a homeowner doesn't comply, they'll get a summons, and then clearly, the highway department would clear it," a board member said, adding the town would still intervene for town right-of-way issues or when tree damage makes a sidewalk unsafe.

Members suggested several options to reduce hardships: carve out exemptions for seniors or low-income residents, limit initial requirements to commercial properties, or allow the highway department to maintain short segments near schools. The board set the proposal for a public hearing and invited residents to provide testimony before making a final decision.