Monday, December 20, 2010

Alderman Fioretti Addresses Snow Removal

We had a lot of discussion about a recent post on businesses (and home owners) being good neighbors and removing snow from sidewalks. Many complained about the lack of response from the city, but in Alderman Fioretti's most recent newsletter he addressed the issue:
Ald. Robert W. Fioretti (2nd) asks that we all promptly clear snow and ice from sidewalks and drives adjacent to our properties. While property owners can and will be ticketed for not being good neighbors, we all know that the right thing to do is pitch in and do our part, particularly when we have neighbors who are elderly or disabled.

City ordinance requires building owners or tenants to remove the snow and ice from sidewalks in front of their buildings or vacant lots. The ordinance states that if the sidewalk is wider than five feet, only a five foot path is necessary. Snow that accumulates before 4 p.m. must be removed within three hours after the snow has fallen. Snow that accumulates after 4 p.m. or during the night shall be removed before 10 a.m.

Non-compliance can result in ticketing and fines. Neglect of this duty may be reported to 311, (312) 744-5000, or to our office at: (312) 263-9273. We will ask Streets and Sanitation to inspect and issue a ticket, if warranted.

For more information on the City's snow and ice removal requirements, please view the information posted via this web site.

Seems reasonable to us. Hope this helps and thanks to the Alderman for addressing the issue.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

The day after that email was sent, the sidewalk at 200 E. 16th was cleared. What's funny is that this park is owned by the building at 1600 Prairie and they cleared in front of their building and the area in front of the dog play area but the sidewalk between the dog play area and Indiana was completely covered with packed snow until this Sunday. Now is Metra responsible for the sidewalk outside their fenced in area on Prairie?

Anonymous said...

It might be worth telling the post office down on 22nd street. They failed to remove more than one foot of snow on their sidewalk on State Street making it almost like ice skating for anyone who was walking next to the building.

Anonymous said...

What about the park in Printer's Row? Trying to cross that after a snow is awful. If they shovel, they shovel one path on the north end otherwise it's just shuffled, frozen snow all the way across.