GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Maybe you have that one neighbor who never shovels the sidewalk. Or maybe that neighbor is you. Either way, we want to make sure you're aware of a change this season.
In the past, the City of Minneapolis mostly relied on the public to report problem areas by calling 311. The city still encourages you to do that.
City inspectors now also plan to take a more aggressive approach by searching for unshoveled sidewalks and issuing fines.
In a tweet, Minneapolis City Council President Lisa Bender said she received a fine last year, but Bender pointed out she's leading the charge when it comes city's increased proactivity about sidewalk shoveling.
"Guys, we shovel our sidewalk! I've been leading an effort along with a bunch of other CMs to more aggressively enforce clearance because we need our city to be accessibly year-round to people on foot or wheelchair and that should apply to me too, as it did one time last winter," said Bender, on Twitter.
The city hopes its proactivity will speed up what is usually a lengthy process. According to a study released in spring, it would take eight days after a snowfall for snow to be removed from a sidewalk where the property owner did not shovel.
Snow isn't removed immediately because, once a complaint is reported, the city issues a warning, or a notice of violation, and the property owner has a few days to shovel. If the snow is still unshoveled, then a contractor is hired, and the city will issue a bill of approximately $150.
If you own a single family home or duplex, you have 24 hours to shovel after the end of a snowfall. For any other property, you have four daytime hours. Daytime hours start at 8 AM.
The City of Minneapolis says it will continue to "get more intentional when enforcing the rules" including sending inspectors out in every neighborhood actively looking for sidewalks that are not shoveled.
In the Wedge neighborhood, homeowner Sherry Fairfield, said she supports the fines. She walks to work each day at the nearby Kowalski's grocery store and says she falls every winter.
"I am 100 percent behind it, I know it's hard for a lot of people, but it's just important, if you live in the city. It makes such a difference," said Fairfield.
When you're shoveling, you need to do all sidewalks surrounding your property. Shovel the full width of the sidewalk, down to the pavement. That includes getting rid of ice.
Pile it all into your yard and boulevard, not into the streets and alleys.