What to know to avoid getting fined for not shoveling your sidewalks
Are you tired of shoveling, snow blowing or sweeping snow from your sidewalks? That’s understandable. Many parts of the state have already been hit with several “shovelable” snow falls so far this season. And some of us will get a lot more snow in the coming days.
But if you put off shoveling your sidewalks, it may cost you hundreds of dollars.
For example, Minneapolis requires property owners of single-family homes and duplexes to clear sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours of when it stops snowing. Property owners at all other Minneapolis properties must clear sidewalks within four daylight hours.
In Minneapolis, city inspectors check on sidewalks after a snowfall. Residents’ complaints online or through 311 are another way that the city gets wind of uncleared sidewalks. Property owners who don’t clear snow and ice from their property will be sent a letter. If an inspector checks up on a sidewalk and it still isn’t clear, work crews will be instructed to remove the snow and ice.
Create a More Connected Minnesota
MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.
Average Minneapolis fee is about $229
The total cost assessed on property owners in the winter of 2021-2022 was initially $216,633.92. Property owners can pay their assessments without interest or include the payment in the next year’s property tax at 2.3 percent interest.
More than 1,000 bills were issued for snow and ice removal in Minneapolis last winter. The charges ranged from a low of $38.16 to a high of almost $1,000, depending on the size of the lot. Most assessments are in the range of $229.
Assessed charges can be appealed at an administrative hearing and at the Public Works and Infrastructure committee of the council. Those denied by the committee can then appeal the decision to district court within 30 days.
City already received 1,500 complaints this season
The number of complaints filed about people not shoveling their sidewalks fluctuates each year, and appears to have little to do with the amount of snowfall. In recent years, it’s fluctuated around about 1,000 assessments.
In the winter of 2017, the city of Minneapolis had 74 inches of snow, but just under 1,000 bills for snow removal were issued. In 2019, the city saw 42 inches of snowfall but assessed more than twice as many property owners for snow removal.
Almost 1,500 complaints have already been issued this 2022-2023 snow season, even though the city has only experienced about 15 inches of snowfall. The city doesn’t yet have the number of bills that have been issued this season for snow removal.
Snowy sidewalks impact people with mobility issues
Some advocates and city council members have pushed the city to create a municipal sidewalk clearing program, arguing that sidewalks left unshoveled in the current system limit the ability of people with restricted mobility or disability to get around during the winter. A 2018 assessment found that continuous service would cost $15 to $20 million annually, with start-up costs of $4.5 million. A more limited option would have an annual cost of about $5 million.
Minneapolis residents are also eligible to get free sand from locations around the city. They just have to bring their own 5-gallon bucket and shovel.
Most Twin Cities suburbs and St. Paul also require property owners to clear their sidewalks. In St. Paul, property owners must shovel within 24 hours of the snow stopping. St. Paul inspectors will typically check out the sidewalk within two days of sending a letter. If the owner hasn’t cleared, they’ll be on the hook for the cost of clearing the sidewalk as well.
The city of Duluth, which was recently hit with two feet of snow, is just over two years into enforcing a shoveling ordinance. Its law requires people to clear sidewalks 24 hours after a snowfall ends. Residents can report problem sidewalks here.
Most important of all, snowy, icy sidewalks are hazardous and can be stressful for those who need to travel. So, be nice.