Walking in the West Side neighborhood last night, I traversed a section of city sidewalk noticeably covered in snow. I would guesstimate the depth at 1.5 to 2 inches.
That made me wonder, is the city handing out tickets to property owners for failure to clear sidewalks while ignoring its own responsibilities? (So, dear readers, tell me if you or someone you know has been hit with a sidewalk ticket this winter.)
Colleague John Schneider recently focused on an idea from City Hall to alter the sidewalk ordinance so that city crews would clear the walks of procrastinators, then add the cost of the service to the property owner’s tax bill.
This would have the advantage of getting the sidewalk clear for pedestrians -- as opposed to the current system that relies on the punishment factor of a ticket to motivate the slowpoke to start shoveling.
I’m OK with that change, with one caveat.
If a city walk is not to code and a property owner steps forward to clear it (with some appropriate proof), the city must reduce said resident’s property tax bill by the amount the city charges for the same service.
That would create an incentive for even speedier sidewalk clearance, be it by city crews or residents motivated by a little cashola.
If you are uncertain about what your duties are in the city of Lansing, the Public Service Department states the following on sidewalks: “Residents have several responsibilities when it snows. The occupant (or owner of an unoccupied parcel) must remove snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours after the snow has fallen. When ice forms on sidewalks you must spread salt, ashes, saw-dust or sand on the sidewalk within 24 hours after the ice has formed.”
