Clear your sidewalks within 24 hours of a snowfall or we’re coming after you.
That’s the message from the Clarkston City Council, who once again addressed a sidewalk ordinance that isn’t being enforced.
‘I’m looking for a consistent approach so the message is clear,? said Councilman Jim Brueck at Monday’s meeting. ‘We expect people to understand and respond to the ordinance; if the snow’s not off the sidewalk in 24 hours, there’s going to be an ordinance enforcement officer knocking on the door, or a letter in the mail, indicating they have an obligation to remove the snow. Otherwise we’ll do it, and we’ll charge them.?
Last May, the council adopted Ordinance 140, part of which requires removal of snow from sidewalks:
“It is the responsibility of all owners or occupants of property adjacent to public sidewalks to maintain them free of ice, snow or other hazardous conditions and obstructions that hinder the use of the sidewalk as a means for public pedestrian traffic, and to remove ice, snow and other obstructions or hazardous conditions within 24 hours of their initial occurrences,” the document reads.
Language in the revised ordinance, members say, is similar to language from previous Ordinance 8, adopted in 1915
‘It’s been on the books for years,? Brueck said. ‘The way it’s enforced now, there’s no consequence for not shoveling, so, with some people, if they don’t feel like it, they just don’t shovel. Maybe after they get a bill for, say $100, they’ll think ‘maybe I’ll do that next time.??
Brueck, who noted he wasn’t trying to be ‘onerous,? said he, like others, enjoys walking about the city with his dog.
‘It’s frustrating,? he said. ‘A lot of us like to walk. We have an aging population, and many people who use sidewalks are a means of getting around. In some places, the snow hasn’t been shoveled for weeks and you literally have to walk in the street. The safety and liability of our citizens is at risk and if we’re not taking due diligence, then shame on us.
Members of the council discussed particular areas of concern, including the corner of Miller and Holcomb, parts of West Washington, and sections of Church Street. Homes and businesses near Clarkston Road and Main Street were also an issue.
‘The house on the east corner of Clarkston Road and Main Street is close to impassable,? said Councilman Cory Johnston, who rewrote the 1915 ordinance and worked to push it through the adoption process. ‘They plowed snow from their driveway on Clarkston Road over the sidewalk and people have trudged a path through it.?
The council, who were all in agreement the ordinance needed stricter enforcement, discussed a number of ideas for promoting compliance.
City Attorney Tom Ryan recommended keeping the operation in-house. He also suggested making a focused effort, rather than trying to attack the whole problem at once.
‘Maybe what you need to do is pick the top 10 worst offenders, and hopefully word will get out,? he said. ‘It’s frustrating, I know, but to address every issue would take a lot of intensive man hours.?
Ordinance violators, Ryan noted, would be charged with a civil infraction and required to appear before a judge in the 52-2 District Court.
Mayor Steve Arkwright asked that meeting minutes reflect the council’s direction to City Manager Dennis Ritter: increase observance, involve the police more and monitor the situation for improvement. The downtown business area will be addressed later, Arkwright added.
Ritter told the council a lien could be placed on offending properties until the matter was cleared up.
Elderly or physically handicapped residents who need assistance with snow removal can call Clarkston City Councilwoman Kristy Ottman, who works with St. Daniel’s Catholic Church to assign the work to local volunteers. Ottman can be reached at 248-625-0584.