(a) Every owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or other person in charge of any building or lot of ground in the city abutting upon any public way or public place shall be responsible for the following as pertains to such building or lot of ground:
(1) Remove any snow and ice from any sidewalk abutting such building or lot of ground, and any sidewalk ramps intersecting such sidewalks, creating a clear path of at least 5 feet in width.
(2) Snow which falls or accumulates between the hours of seven a.m. and seven p.m. shall be removed as soon as practicable, but no later than ten p.m. of the same day. Snow which falls or accumulates overnight between the hours of seven p.m. and seven a.m. shall be removed as soon as practicable, but no later than ten a.m. of the same day.
(3) If snow on the sidewalk is frozen so hard that it cannot be removed without damage to the pavement, the person in charge of any building or lot of ground shall, within the time specified for removing the snow, strew, or cause to be strewn, the sidewalk abutting the building or lot of ground with sand, abrasive material or other products made for the purpose of mitigating slipping hazards and preventing the accumulation of ice, and shall, as soon thereafter as the weather shall permit, thoroughly clean the sidewalk.
(4) No owner of a multiple dwelling unit building or a townhouse development with a surface parking lot may shovel, plow, or otherwise place any snow or ice removed from such surface parking lot onto the public way. Owners of townhouse developments and owners of multiple dwelling unit buildings with surface parking lots shall store any snow or ice in a manner and in a location that does not impede or restrict the public way in any fashion. If an owner of a multiple dwelling unit building or a townhouse development with a surface parking lot is unable to store snow and ice in accordance with this subsection (a)(4), such owner shall contract for private snow and ice removal.
(b) Any person who violates this section shall be fined not less than $50.00 nor more than $500.00 for each offense, and each day such offense shall continue shall constitute a distinct and separate offense.
Exemption. This penalty shall not apply to any owner, lessee, tenant, occupant or other person in charge of any residential building failing to comply with this Section for property located in an active pilot area under the Chicago Plow the Sidewalks Pilot Program, established in accordance with an ordinance adopted by the City Council, during the term of the pilot.
(Prior code § 36-19) (Amend Coun. J. 10-28-15, p. 11951, Art. VII, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 3-24-21, p. 28891, § 2; Amend Coun. J. 7-19-23, p. 1935, § 1)