The current ordinance is really complex and I'm not going to get into all the details, but essentially if a person does not obey the ordinance of shoveling the snow on their sidewalk within 24 hours, they will CURRENTLY be charged a $25 fine, and they will have to shovel the snow within 10 days. If after 10 days the snow is still not shoveled, the city will issue the resident a summons to show up in Municipal Court. The resident could end up paying a $10 fine for every day the snow was not shoveled, plus court costs, plus the original $25 administrative fee.
But, under the NEW ordinance, the city will treat snow removal violations the same way they treat weed and trash violations - by issuing abatement fees.
Under the new ordinance (which would go into effect next year if it's approved by city council), a $25 administrative fee would be charged to the homeowner for EACH DAY the snow was not removed from the sidewalk.
If the person does not remove the snow after two days (after $50 was charged), then a city contractor will remove the snow. I am still trying to figure out how much that would be.
The $50 plus the amount it cost for the city to shovel the snow would be charged to the homeowner.
After three violations of the snow ordinance, the person will receive a summons to Municipal Court.
City officials say that the new ordinance would reduce the amount of time wasted by code officers who currently have to visit the residence each day for 10 days to see whether the resident shoveled the snow.
What do you think?
Click here to read about a previous story I did about abatement fees.
I would assume the same people making money on mowing our lawn would be the same ones who would make money removing our snow.
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