The first notable winter storm of the year has blanketed Columbus, Ohio, with snow. While property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their property, city code permits using sand or other materials to make sidewalks safe if complete removal is impossible. Residents are also warned against pushing snow and ice from driveways and sidewalks into the street, as this could lead to fines and jail time.
The job to remove Mother Nature’s mess is the responsibility of the occupant or owner of the property next to the sidewalk, according toIf the sidewalk cannot be completely cleared, then city code states snow and ice can be covered with” sand or other substance” that makes the sidewalk “safe and convenient.”Don’t push snow and ice from your driveway or sidewalk into the street.
However, staff at the Columbus City Attorney’s Office said no one has been cited under this portion of the city code in the last year, and couldn’t recall any previous enforced violations.“Living in Ohio during the winter has its inherent dangers,” the Ohio Supreme Court.
Questions about liability arise when the slick conditions become worse due to additional circumstances, OSU Moritz College of Law Professor Sarah Cole said. “For example, something like having running water that flows onto the sidewalk,” Cole said. “There’s no liability as long as the snow and ice are naturally occurring.”
Check with your local government to determine sidewalk regulations in additional central Ohio communities.
Winter Storm Snow Removal Sidewalks City Ordinance Liability
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