Who Should Shovel The Sidewalks In Your Neighborhood?

It's the time that we all dread, but no matter how much we complain about it, it comes back around. With the cold weather blowing into the region, the ice boom going in, and towns and villages stocking up on salt, it must mean that winter is here. With the return of snow and ice to Western New York, people all over the region are now having to deal with getting the snow removed from our sidewalks and streets, along with figuring out who should actually do it.

Now, in some communities around New York State, it's the local and/or county government that will plow snow from the streets. In some cities in the Empire State, such as Rochester, New York, the city government removes snow from the 878 miles of sidewalks. However, those of us in Buffalo and Western New York aren't so lucky.

KEEP READING: Spreading Salt On The Sidewalk Can Get You A Ticket In This New York City

In the City of Buffalo, even though the local government owns the vast majority of the sidewalks around town, local law makes it the adjacent property owners' job to clear the sidewalks of snow and ice. Local law also spells out the specific rules and how much time you have to remove snow, or else.

It shall be the duty of every owner or occupant of any premises abutting any public street to remove, before 9:00 a.m., all snow and ice which may have fallen upon the sidewalk abutting said premises. In case said sidewalk is not paved its full width, it shall be necessary to remove such snow or ice from a space three feet in width. The owner or occupant of lands fronting or abutting on any street, highway, traveled road, public lane, alley or square shall make, maintain and repair the sidewalk adjoining his lands and shall keep such sidewalk and the gutter free and clear of and from snow, ice and all other obstructions. Such owner or occupant, and each of them, shall be liable for any injury or damage by reason of omission, failure or negligence to make, maintain or repair such sidewalk or failure or negligence to keep such sidewalk and the gutter free and clear of and from snow, ice and all other obstructions.
-City of Buffalo Charter § 413-50a

If you don't, you're subject to a $100 fine for each time it's not cleared. Even more important than the fine, city law makes the property owner responsible for any legal issues that come from unclear sidewalks, even though the sidewalks are owned by the city.

READ MORE: New York State Asks You To Use Less Salt This Winter

While it is a good neighborly practice to keep your property in good condition, it seems fundamentally unfair that some other entity makes you take care of their property and will charge you a fee if you don't. It feels especially egregious when you realize that the city government doesn't follow its own rules.

The city of Buffalo owns more than 7,000 individual properties across town, many of which are vacant and abandoned, and the vast majority of the sidewalks for those properties are consistently unshoveled.