Walkable city == enforcement of snow shoveling ordinance

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Walkable city == enforcement of snow shoveling ordinance

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Started 2 years ago by Mister MooCow
Latest reply from GreatOutdoors

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Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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I think it's high time that the city started enforcing the snow shoveling ordinance. It's a literally a crime that the Krogers on High @ ENB never shovels either of their walks; to add insult to injury, when they plow their parking lots, they pile the plow detritus on the sidewalks. Other big businesses along High in Clintonville are similarly guilty. Most of the mom'n'pops, though, do an excellent job of keeping the sidewalks clean.

I'd rant to the city's environmental steward about this, but she seems to have been a victim of the city budget cuts. Aside from ranting at Kroger (done), what else can be done? Anybody know who is supposed to enforce the shoveling law?

---
moo-ve that damn snow!

Posted 2 years ago #
misskitty
Columbus
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You know I had always heard that the property owners were suppose to make sure sidewalks were safe and clear. Just in the past few weeks I was watching the news and they were talking about this subject. They had some people from the city talking about how it could not really be enforced and it was a waste of time. I will try to find a link to it I think it was just a segment on the news one day.

Posted 2 years ago #
Nitsud Regnifloh
Valerio Heights
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Whitehall has a similar ordinance. I shovel my sidewalk not bc of it, but bc it's the right thing to do.

i will add that i do not shovel my sidewalk in a straight line, but rather a wavy, maze through the snow. adds some fun. :)

Posted 2 years ago #
JonMyers
Ao Nang, Krabi, Thailand
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Some businesses in the Short North are really precise about where their shovel line stops, which is annoying.

The walk in front of Macs cafe is shoveled in pristine fashion. The section of sidewalk between Macs and the entrance of the public parking lot next to them is not shoveled at all. Do their customers levitate over that section of sidewalk to enter their business?

#ShovelFail

Posted 2 years ago #
manticore33
Delaware, OH
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I always thought that being a home / property owner and shoveling the sidewalks made you liable for any slips or falls (altering condition of public property). Since snowfall is considered an 'act of god' and shoveling alters that condition (which we all know the plowed-to-ice problem) making you liable if someone gets injured. Maybe not in Ohio?

Quick Google search revealed:
Plain Dealer Article / Case Law

Which might impart liability on you if you alter the condition of the snow.

Posted 2 years ago #
agtw31
columbus
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i feel bad for the people catching the bus on bethel rd.

they have to stand on top of the plowed snow,or risk getting blasted by a car.

Posted 2 years ago #
Walker
The KLD / Downtown
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Mister MooCow wrote >>
I'd rant to the city's environmental steward about this, but she seems to have been a victim of the city budget cuts.

Really? When? I ran into her a few weeks ago at a community recycling meeting.

Posted 2 years ago #
surber17

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agtw31 wrote >>
i feel bad for the people catching the bus on bethel rd.
they have to stand on top of the plowed snow,or risk getting blasted by a car.

Agreed!!! And a lot of the roads up there don't even have sidewalks to shovel.

When I lived in VV I hated when it snowed. Almost no one shoveled in front of their house. Does the ordinance cover private residences too? Right now we're looking for money to replace the parking meter hike .... well here ya go!! Start fining people!

Posted 2 years ago #
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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manticore33 wrote >>
I always thought that being a home / property owner and shoveling the sidewalks made you liable for any slips or falls (altering condition of public property).... Maybe not in Ohio?

According to Channel 6 news, this is not the case in Ohio (the story implied some tort reform removed this source of frivolous lawsuits).

And I seriously doubt any of these deadbeats consulted a lawyer about liability or even went through such a thought process-- they just don't care enough about the surrounding community to keep their sidewalks clear and passable.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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Walker wrote >>

Mister MooCow wrote >>
I'd rant to the city's environmental steward about this, but she seems to have been a victim of the city budget cuts.

Really? When? I ran into her a few weeks ago at a community recycling meeting.

This article @ the Columbus Bar Associations' website implies that she's no longer the environmental steward.

Posted 2 years ago #
Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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manticore33 wrote >>
I always thought that being a home / property owner and shoveling the sidewalks made you liable for any slips or falls (altering condition of public property). Since snowfall is considered an 'act of god' and shoveling alters that condition (which we all know the plowed-to-ice problem) making you liable if someone gets injured. Maybe not in Ohio?
Quick Google search revealed:
Plain Dealer Article / Case Law
Which might impart liability on you if you alter the condition of the snow.

This is my understanding as well.

I actually require my tenants to remove snow from their walks, but if any of them ever contest it, I would cite the city ordinance, and if they still had issues I would give in because of the liability issue.

I shovel my own walks and drive, but I make sure that I do a damn good job. Sure, that doesn't prvent someone from slipping, but I try.

There are so many different ways to argue this and so much of it depends on the situation. I really wish it would go up the flagpole (again?) and we would get some real resolution out of it.

Mister MooCow wrote >>

manticore33 wrote >>
I always thought that being a home / property owner and shoveling the sidewalks made you liable for any slips or falls (altering condition of public property).... Maybe not in Ohio?

According to Channel 6 news, this is not the case in Ohio (the story implied some tort reform removed this source of frivolous lawsuits).
And I seriously doubt any of these deadbeats consulted a lawyer about liability or even went through such a thought process-- they just don't care enough about the surrounding community to keep their sidewalks clear and passable.

How does it really differ from the street? I saw some lady walking on the icy/snow street because it had been plowed and the sidewalk had not. If she slipped and fell, can she sue the city? Ok, well, the answer is yes, she can, but does she have a case? Maybe not because a sidewalk did exist and walking in the street is probably illegal...I dunno. We need this sort of stuff figured out.

Posted 2 years ago #
Snarf
How Do I Delete My Account
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hell i just wish my neighbors would replace the crumbled dirt path "sidewalk" in their front yard, let alone shovel it. i always shovel my sidewalk.

Posted 2 years ago #
misskitty
Columbus
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More here

Posted 2 years ago #
Lakee911
Clintonville (South)
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Snarf wrote >>
hell i just wish my neighbors would replace the crumbled dirt path "sidewalk" in their front yard, let alone shovel it. i always shovel my sidewalk.

Sidewalks are to be maintained by the property owner. Call 614-645-3111 and report it. It will be inspected and they will be required to repair or replace.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mr. Peabody
Clintonville
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I shoveled my walk along Indianola, only to have the plows dump 2 feet of chunky road snow and ice all over it, making it worse than before and almost impossible to dig out again.

Posted 2 years ago #
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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Snarf wrote >>
hell i just wish my neighbors would replace the crumbled dirt path "sidewalk" in their front yard, let alone shovel it. i always shovel my sidewalk.

If this is inside the city of Columbus, call 311 and report it. Or use 311.columbus.gov and do it anonymously. That's something that code enforcement will enforce.

Posted 2 years ago #
Thory
Asheville, NC
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Businesses would hopefully fix things if passers by or especially customers ask directly why they haven't done anything with the snow. Not that people should have to even mention it...

Posted 2 years ago #
Mister MooCow
Near Mooney's Mansion
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misskitty wrote >>
More here

Ann Fisher comes through again! (for the click-through averse, it says that the "you'll be liable if you shovel" line is just that-- a line of crap. She quotes various sources that say there is no liability issue.)

Posted 2 years ago #
Anne
King Lincoln
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Our postman demanded that we shoveled our walk and step because it was hazardous conditions and they would stop delivering our mail.

Posted 2 years ago #
Twixlen
Westgate, Columbus
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Anne wrote >>
Our postman demanded that we shoveled our walk and step because it was hazardous conditions and they would stop delivering our mail.

Yup - they can do that.

Well, I know the city themselves haven't kept up on the paths around Westgate Park - something they've always done in the past (since that park is pretty heavily used, even in winter, including by people cutting thru it to make it to the Sullivant bus stops, or biking thru).

I've noticed the folks on West Broad seem to be doing a pretty darn good job of keeping the bus stops cleared out, for people to stand... it's nice to see.

Posted 2 years ago #