Sidewalks & Lawns
The spaces outside of the house help author the story of the neighborhood.
Public Places (streets, avenues, alleys, sidewalks) shall be kept free and clear of obstructions (
Sidewalk Repair -Owners with property abutting and fronting upon any street or alley within city limits are responsible for good order and repair to sidewalks immediately abutting their property (
Snow removal from sidewalks Residential property owners must remove and clear away any snow or ice on sidewalks that abut their property within 24 hours after it is deposited. It is unlawful to shovel snow into the streets. Regardless of the manner in which snow or ice is deposited, sidewalks within a business district must be cleared by 9:00 a.m. the next business day following the deposit of snow or ice, by 12:00 noon the next non-business day, or within four business hours after the snow or ice is deposited, whichever period is shorter. If the Director of Public Service determines the snow or ice cannot be reasonably removed, s/he may require sand or another suitable substance be applied to assure safe pedestrian travel. Courtesy notification is generally given to properties demonstrating non-compliance with this law, but property owners who fail to comply will be charged the cost of removal plus a $30 civil charge (
Report unsafe sidewalks or failure to remove snow or ice to the City Engineering Office.
Weeds are handled by the City on a complaint basis and offenders are provided 10 days to cut or destroy overgrown weeds. The City may mow the weeds and charge the cost to the property owner or forward the case to the City Attorneys Office for prosecution if the owner fails to comply.
Branches extending over public sidewalks are considered a nuisance if they are less than seven feet above the walk. A certified letter is sent as notification of the violation and the owner has ten days to comply with the code. Non-compliance may result in the City trimming the branches and assessing the cost of removal as a tax to the property owner or punishment as a misdemeanor with appropriate fines (
Contact the City Engineering Office to report overgrown weeds or tree branches or to receive additional materials on this topic.