Watertown residents will have another year to get used to the new snow and ice removal requirements.
City Manager George Proakis recommended only issuing warnings for properties not clearing snow and ice from the sidewalk within 24 hours of the end of a snow storm. This will allow the City to inform residents with the education program about how the fines will work. The City Council approved the new Snow Ordinance in January 2024.
“Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, we were unable to realize the benefits of the program. There was essentially no snow accumulation for remainder of ’23-24 season,” Proakis said. “It prevented any meaningful engagement on the education materials, or the See Click Fix request options.”
While there will be no fines, properties will receive warnings.
“There will be some sort of warning tag that we will place on a house of people that don’t (clear snow and ice from sidewalks), saying that unless they have an exemption next season they will be fined,” Proakis said.
The education program will also encourage residents to look for neighbors who need assistance clearing their sidewalks and offer to help, Proakis said.
Proakis added that he believes the vast majority of residents will not fully grasp the meaning of the new ordinance until a snow storm affects their lives.
“While I don’t wish for big snow storms, having a couple of storms with a warning system in place will set us up to have a fine system in place which we didn’t have last year,” he said.
New Snow Rules
The new residential section of the Snow and Ice Removal Ordinance requires snow and ice to be removed from sidewalks in front of residential properties within 24 hours of the end of the snow, sleet or freezing rain. The area cleared must be 42 inches wide or, if the sidewalk is narrower, the full width.
The Snow Ordinance includes fines for not clearing snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of the property. For “small residential properties” the first violation would get a written warning, a second violation gets a $50 fine, and $100 for a third and all subsequent violations in the same winter/snow season.
For all other properties, there is a written warning for the first violation, $100 for the second, and $200 for the third and subsequent violations in the same season.
There are exemptions for people “who are unable to meet the physical requirements of this section, particularly for low-income, elderly, or disabled residents, or for other unusual circumstances.” People will have to show documentation of their income level and/or disability.
Proakis noted that the DPW has already received requests from people seeking an exemption.
Currently, the City has not developed a system to determine if people are eligible for an exemption, or determined who in the City staff would handle it. Proakis said it may fit best under a Human Services field. The City recently completed a Human Services Study, and a draft is scheduled to be released this week, he said.
According to the ADA gov there’s a “reasonable accommodations” for disabled. A handicap placard should be plenty of proof
Agreed. The placard is enough. No further proof need be provided.
This is very disappointing. I am a non-driver who takes the 70 bus. All along the route from my house to the bus stop, there are people who don’t shovel in snowstorms (and long after), which forces me and my fellow bus riders to walk in the street. In addition, this affects people who walk their dogs and children walking to school. I don’t understand why Watertown cannot enforce shoveling bylaws like surrounding towns. I used to live in Belmont, and it was enforced there. Compounding the problem is the abysmal lighting on the streets, so I can’t see if there are icy patches or uneven sidewalks. Can these issues be addressed?
George is actually right on this one. If it snows, you shovel your freaking sidewalk, or pay some neighborhood kids on snow delay to do so. If your neighbor is infirm or pregnant, maybe you do hers and she gets you a beer or a pie or something.
Most people were already doing this in Watertown. This is how things worked in Baltimore City where I grew up. It’s sad that it takes the force of law to make this the standard. Perhaps we should import fewer illegal aliens who don’t embrace this ethos naturally.
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What in Sam Hill does shoveling sidewalks have to do with immigration policies? Watertown has always been a community that is welcoming to all nationalities and religions.
Amen Deborah!
The reference to illegal aliens seems to be nothing more than knee jerk anger.
There must be a way to make the snow ordinance work in a way that accommodates those who have legitimate difficulties clearing snow. It’s not that hard and it has nothing to do with immigration. Bt some folks can’t help themselves.