EAST LANSING, Mich. — In light of numerous resident complaints regarding impassable and unsafe sidewalks, the City of East Lansing would like to remind property owners of their responsibilities for snow and ice removal.
The City of East Lansing’s snow and ice removal requirements are as follows:
-- Snow that accumulates before noon on a sidewalk must be cleared by midnight that same day.
-- Snow that accumulates after noon must be cleared by midnight the following day.
-- Salt, sand or another abrasive must be applied to ice within 12 hours of formation.
-- When snow showers occur on more than one consecutive day, property owners are required to clear sidewalks by the above stated times or within 48 hours of the beginning of a snowfall, whichever is sooner.
Here are a few other important things to keep in mind:
-- While the City does sometimes clear sidewalks in high-traffic areas (i.e. school routes, downtown) as a courtesy, it is ultimately the responsibility of the property owners in those areas to ensure their sidewalks are clear enough for everyone to use. During busier times, such as this past weekend’s snowstorm, DPW crews can’t always make it to those areas right away. During those times, property owners should step in and assume the responsibility of clearing their own sidewalks.
-- Because of how City plows are angled, snow may be pushed on to a property owner’s sidewalk and/or driveway during the road clearing process. If that happens, it is still the property owner’s responsibility to ensure the sidewalk is safe and passable for pedestrians.
“We understand that there are a lot of difficulties that come along with heavy snow events in the winter, but the safety of our residents is at stake when property owners fail to clear their sidewalks in a timely fashion. When sidewalks are impassable, pedestrians often resort to walking in the streets or run the risk of falling and seriously injuring themselves,” said East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas. “We are asking everyone with property in East Lansing to be good neighbors this winter, whether they are residents, business owners or landlords/tenants.”
Property owners can visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/snowremoval for additional information, including a Snow Removal One Pager Plus FAQ.