$150 fines for not shoveling your sidewalk within 12 hours...

[kalimba21.livejournal.com]

According to the Somerville Journal, the next thing the city is trying to get approved is a standard $150 first offense fine for non shoveling within 12 hours of a storm, 4 hours for businesses. This is up from $25 and 12 hours for both residents and businesses. Repeat offense will be $300. Probably the biggest part of this is they are looking to have it enforced by the people who write the parking tickets, currently it is the city's Inspectional Services dept. who write the tickets.

Comments

[red-liner.livejournal.com]

The thing is, 12 hours is a LONG time if you're a person who has to traverse the sidewalks going to and from work, school, family duties, etc.

No one's saying that you're lazy for spending time at your b/f's place, but the fact is, if you're a homeowner (or a renter who's assumed snow-clearing responsibility), you have to make the sidewalk passable promptly. If you're going to be in absentia that much, you may need to hire someone to clear your walk. Or suggest that your fella show what a stud he is by staying at your place during storms and making a little noise with a snow shovel!

[blondeamazon.livejournal.com]

I know a little time with the shovel wouldn't kill him. :)

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

lol!

he sure would act like it :p

[sparkgrrl658.livejournal.com]

i am a person who has to traverse the sidewalks, and living in brighton last year was an absolute HELL because no one clears a damn thing.

like i said, i'm careful to put down salt before and after a storm despite not being home often. but 12 hours is not a long time if you're sick, injured, or traveling.

as usual, it just comes down to how strictly they'll enforce it, so hopefully the people notorious for not bothering will be fined, not those that one time aren't out there shoveling as it comes down.

[srakkt.livejournal.com]

Snow-clearing responsibility is borne equally by renters and owners and agents thereof. Unless you have it in your lease that one or the other party explicitly bears the responsibility, the renter is just as responsible as the owner, and vice-versa.