Are you tired
of trying to walk on sidewalks that haven't been cleared of snow and ice?
Do you want to help keep local sidewalks safer for everyone else this
winter? Local snow removal ordinances can be your most valuable tools
(besides a snow shovel) for accomplishing this, because they help you
understand what to do and who to contact if the sidewalks we all use aren't
being properly maintained.
Please send any corrections to this information to info@wbwc.org.
Ann Arbor/U-M
| Ann Arbor Twp. | Chelsea
| Dexter | Manchester
Pittsfield Twp. | Saline | Scio
Twp. | Superior Twp. | Ypsilanti
| Ypsilanti Twp.
Ann Arbor
Contact: Community Standards Division (734) 994-1788 (option #4 if calling
after business hours)
General Rules: All snow and ice which has accumulated on the adjacent
public sidewalk prior to 6am must be removed by noon. Immediately after
the accumulation of ice on such a sidewalk it must be treated with sand,
salt or other substance to prevent it from being slippery. Within 24 hours
after the end of each accumulation of snow greater than 1 inch, the owner
of every residentially zoned property must remove the accumulation from
the adjacent public sidewalk.
Fines: Up to $500
More information: see snow
removal on sidewalks on the city of Ann Arbor website.
University of Michigan
All requests for snow removal, de-icing or sanding are handled through
the Grounds office. During regular business hours Monday-Friday 7:00
a.m.-4:00 p.m., call 764-3422 to report areas that need attention. After
hours, call Work Control at 647-2059.
There is also an online snow-removal
request form.
Ann Arbor Township
Contact: Township Administration Office, Garry Drusselhous, 734-663-1855
General Rules: The Township has no master snow removal plan although complaints
will be investigated.
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Chelsea
Contact: Chelsea Police Dept, 734-475-9122
General Rules: Sidewalks must be cleared within 48 hours of the accrual
of snow or ice.
Fines: A note is left, and if the sidewalk is not cleared within 24 hours
of note delivery the city will clear the sidewalk and charge the owner.
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Dexter
Contact: the Zoning Officer
734-426-8303 x2
amenard@villageofdexter.org (e-mail preferred)
General Rules: For residential sidewalks, snow must be removed within
48 hours of snow cessation. For business sidewalks, snow must be removed
by start of business day, or if possible within 4 hours of snow cessation.
Fines: $15 on second notice. If no action after second notice, the Village
will clear the walks and charge the owner.
The village of Dexter has a website
with more info.
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Manchester
Contact: Call the Manchester station of the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s
Department at 734-428-8829.
Ordinances:
Chapter 42 – Sidewalks
4.97 Removal of Snow and Ice
The occupant of any premises, or the owner of any unoccupied premises,
or the owner of any unoccupied premises or real property, is required
to keep the constructed sidewalks in front of, or adjacent to such premises,
cleared from snow and ice which will impede passage on such sidewalks.
1. Except as provided in subsection (3) hereof, snow and ice shall be
so removed from sidewalks in all business districts by four (4) business
hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet, or freezing rain,
or by the beginning of business hours of the next day following such fall,
whichever period is shorter.
2. Except as provided in subsections (3) or (4) hereof, snow and ice shall
be so removed from all residential sidewalks within twenty-four (24) hours
after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet, or freezing rain.
3. In the event snow and ice on a sidewalk has become so hard that it
cannot be removed without the likelihood of damage to the sidewalk, the
person responsible for its removal shall, within the time requirements
of subsections (1) or (2), have enough sand or other abrasive put on the
sidewalk to make travel thereon reasonably safe. Snow and ice shall then
be removed as soon as it can be accomplished without the likelihood of
damage to the sidewalk.
4. Exemptions. In residential districts only, persons who, for reasons
of infirmity, believe compliance with subsections (2) and (3) would cause
undue hardship, may file a request for exemption with the Village Clerk.
The Clerk shall approve or disapprove the request according to guidelines
adopted by Council. If approved, the Village may then remove snow and
ice from these sidewalks at a cost to be established by Coucil resolution,
based on length, in feet, of sidewalk.
5. Failure to Comply. If the person responsible for the removal of snow
and ice fails to comply with the requirements of this Section, then the
Village may remove the snow and ice, and the cost thereof may be collected
as a single lot assessement under Chapter 3, Section 1.85 of this Code.
Further, such responsible party shall be liable to the Village for all
losses to the Village or recoveries from the Village for damages to person
or property of others caused by the failure of such responsible party
to so remove all snow and ice accumulations in accordance with this Section.
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Pittsfield Township
Contact: Violations should be reported to the Township Municipal Services
Department at 734-944-0470. An Ordinance Enforcement Officer will
inspect the reported violation and give the owner written notice ordering
correction within a specific period of time. If the owner fails
to correct the problem, they can be cited for a municipal civil infraction.
Ordinances:
Article 2. Sidewalks (Sec. 28-31)
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to:
(1) Regulate the repair and maintenance of public sidewalks to keep them
in a proper and safe condition for public use;
(2) Provide for the imposition of liability upon abutting landowners for
injuries or damages caused by a defective sidewalk;
(3) Provide for the establishment of sidewalk maintenance districts by
the township board for the assessment of the costs of repairs to sidewalks
in the districts;
(4) Provide standards for proper sidewalk maintenance, repairs and construction;
and
(5) Provide indemnification of the township for the costs of required
maintenance and repair not accomplished by abutting or adjacent landowners.
(Ord. No. 218, § 2, eff. 8-26-1997)
Sec. 28-32. Regulations
(a) The owners of all lots and premises within the township are required
to maintain, repair and keep safe sidewalks adjacent to or upon their
lots and premises in or along the public street and alley rights-of-way
in the township.
(b) It shall be the duty of all owners of premises within the limits of
the township to keep all cement, asphalt and concrete walks, and sidewalks
that have been laid in front of, upon or adjacent to such premises in
or along any of the street or alley rights-of-way in good repair and free
of dangerous ice, snow or other dangerous obstructions and/or conditions.
Any owner of any such premises who shall allow any such sidewalk to remain
in disrepair or in a dangerous condition shall be responsible and liable
for injuries and damages arising out of the disrepair or unsafe condition
of the sidewalk. Such owner shall further indemnify and reimburse the
township for all liability, costs and expenses the township might incur
as a result of any such defective or dangerous sidewalk.
(Ord. No. 218, § 3, eff. 8-26-1997)
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Saline
Contact: Department of Public Works, 429-5624, Monday-Friday, 7:30am
to 3:30pm
General Rules: The ordinance requires people in charge or control of
any building(s) or lot(s) which fronts a paved sidewalk to remove any
ice or snow from the sidewalk to form an open path of at least 42” in
width.
In business districts, the snow or ice must be removed within four hours
of when the snow or accumulation stops or by the beginning of business
hours on the next day, whichever period is shorter.
In all other zoning districts, snow or ice must be removed within twenty-four
hours (24) hours after the snow or accumulations ends. Subsequent drifting
of snow on sidewalks must also be removed.
Fines: $25 for the first offense, $50 for a second repeat offense within
one year, and $100 for a third and each subsequent repeat offense within
one year.
In addition, the city will charge property owners $75 per visit by a
city crew to clear a sidewalk of snow and $30 to treat ice.
According to Public Works Director George Danneffel, "Vacations,
business trips and other obligations that require you to be away do not
exempt you from sidewalk snow removal."
More Information: Saline
Snow Removal Policy
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Scio Township
Contact: For complaints about lack of snow removal from sidewalks, contact
the Scio Township Clerk’s office at 734/665-2123
Ordinances:
Scio Township Ordinance NO. 2003-02 (Sidewalk Ordinance)
Section 4 Regulations
A. The owner or owners of all lots, parcels and premises within the Township
are required to maintain, repair and keep safe sidewalks adjacent to or
upon their property and premises in or along the public street in the
Township.
B. It shall be the duty of all owners of premises within the limits of
the Township to keep all sidewalks which have been heretofore or hereafter
laid in front of, upon, or adjacent to such premises, in or along any
of the street right of way, in good repair and free from dangerous ice,
snow, or other dangerous obstructions and conditions. Any owner of any
such premises who shall allow any such sidewalk to remain in disrepair
or in a dangerous condition through the owner’s negligence shall be responsible
and liable for injuries and damages arising out of the disrepair or unsafe
condition of said sidewalks. Such owner shall further indemnify and reimburse
the Township for any and all liability, costs and expenses which the Township
might incur as a result of any such defective or dangerous sidewalks,
including reimbursing the Township for all costs and expenses it incurs
in defense of any action or claim (including the Township’s actual attorney’s
fees) relating to such defective or dangerous sidewalk.
C. Whenever any snow shall fall or drift on or across and sidewalk, the
owner or occupant of the lot, building or other premises adjacent to or
abutting upon the sidewalk or bike path, shall remove such snow or cause
the same to be removed within periods of time herein limited:
Snow that has accumulated in or during the nighttime shall be removed
by
6:00 p.m. of the following day;
2. Snow falling or drifting during the day shall be removed before 12:00
noon of the following day.
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Superior Township
Contact: For complaints about lack of snow removal from sidewalks, contact
the Superior Township Clerk's office at 734-482-6099.
Superior Township has no snow removal ordinances but will investigate
a chronic lack of sidewalk snow removal in its residential areas.
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Ypsilanti [city
codes]
Contact: 734/482-1025, the City Ordinance Enforcement Officer (who in
turn reports to the head of the City Building Department)
General Rules: The occupant, manager or owner of every lot or parcel
of land adjoining any sidewalk shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks
adjoining such lot or parcel within 48 hours from the first accumulation
of such snow or ice.
Related Ordinances
Article V. Snow Removal
Section 94-131. Purpose
The purpose of this article is to
1) Ensure safe, unrestricted access to public areas for pedestrian traffic;
2) Ensure safe parking of vehicles in parking lots;
3) Prevent waste of parking space from snow covered surfaces;
4) Prevent traffic hazards from affecting traffic flow in public streets;
and
5) Improve the safety and general welfare of all citizens.
Section 94-132. Scope
Those areas affected by this article are sidewalks, those publicly owned
rights-of-way that convey pedestrian traffic exclusively, parking lots,
being those areas paved or unpaved that provide other than single-family
or occupied two-family vehicular parking.
Section 94-133. Areas To Be Cleared
The occupant, manager or owner of every lot or parcel of land adjoining
any sidewalk shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such
lot or parcel within 48 hours from the first accumulation of such snow
or ice. When any snow shall fall or drift upon any sidewalk, the owner,
occupant or manager of the lot or parcel of land adjacent the such sidewalk
shall remove such snow within 48 hours from the first accumulation.
Section 94-134. Removal Of Ice
When any ice shall form on any sidewalk or parking lot, the owner, occupant
or manager of the lot or parcel of land adjoining such sidewalk shall,
if practicable, immediately remove the ice and when immediate removal
is impracticable, shall immediately cause sand, salt or other chemicals
or materials to be spread upon the ice in such a manner and in such quantity
as to prevent the sidewalk or parking lot from being slippery or dangerous
to pedestrians or motor vehicles and shall remove such ice as soon thereafter
as shall be practicable.
Section 94-135. Removal of Snow From Parking Lots
The owner or manager of any parking lot shall remove all snow from the
parking lot within 24 hours from the first accumulation of such snow.
Section 94-36. Disposition Of Snow
No owner, manager or occupant shall remove ice or snow from sidewalks,
parking lots, driveways and approaches and deposit such snow on public
streets, alleys or rights-of-way. This applies to removal by manual or
automated methods and especially applies to snowblowers which should be
directed below range of street distance or should be pointed in opposite
direction of street. Large accumulations of snow shall be placed so as
to avoid visual obstruction for passing vehicles.
Section 94-137. Failure To Clear
If any occupant, owner or manager shall neglect or fail to clear ice or
snow from a parking lot, or from a sidewalk adjoining his lot or parcel
of land within the time limited and herein required, or shall otherwise
permit snow or ice to accumulate on such sidewalk or parking lot, he shall
be responsible for a municipal civil infraction, subject to payment of
a civil fine as set forth in Section 70-38. Repeat offenses under this
Article shall be subject to increased fines as set forth in Section 70-38.
Each day that the condition of accumulation of ice or snow shall continue
the first day of violation shall constitute a separate offense and shall
bear a separate penalty.
Ypsilanti Township
Ypsilanti Township has no snow removal ordinances for sidewalks.
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Last Updated:
March 4, 2009
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