(a) Removal from sidewalks. The owner, occupant, or person in charge of any parcel or lot which fronts upon or abuts any sidewalk shall keep said sidewalk clear of all snow and ice. In the event of snow accumulating on said sidewalk due to natural means and/or by any other means, said sidewalks shall be cleared of all accumulated snow and/or ice within 24 hours from the time the snow ceases to accumulate on said sidewalk. Sidewalks are to be kept clear of snow and ice to a minimum of four feet in width. In the event that ice has formed on any sidewalk in such a manner that it cannot be removed, the owner, occupant or person in charge of the parcel or lot which fronts upon or adjoins said sidewalk shall keep the sidewalk sprinkled with sand and/or salt to permit safe travel by pedestrians.
(b) Notice and removal of snow from sidewalks. If the owner, occupant, or person in charge of any parcel or lot which fronts upon or adjoins any sidewalk shall fail to keep said sidewalk clear of snow and ice as set forth in subsection (a) above. Village law enforcement officers, and other designated village officials and employees, shall take the following actions.
(1) Hazardous conditions. If a village law enforcement officer, or other designated village officials and employees, determine that the failure to remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk creates an immediate danger to the public health and/or safety, he or she shall cause the issuance of a written notice to the owner, occupant, or person in charge of any parcel or lot directing that the snow and ice be removed within two hours from the delivery of the notice. In the event the property owner, occupant, or person in charge of said parcel or lot is unavailable to receive a written notice, the police officer, and other designated village officials and employees, shall immediately cause the removal of the snow and/or ice. The police officer, and other designated village officials and employees, shall send a written notice to the last-known address of the property owner notifying him or her that a hazardous condition existed which required immediate abatement.
(2) Snow and ice not to encroach. No person shall push, shove, or in any way deposit any snow or ice onto any public streets, alley, sidewalk, or public lands dedicated to public use except for parcels or lots located where existing buildings are constructed within five feet of the street right-of-way and the sidewalks exist from the village right-of-way to the curb line. In such instances, the owners, occupants, and/or employees of parcels or lots shall be permitted to deposit snow and ice from their sidewalks onto the public streets.
(c) Enforcement. All sworn police officers, and other designated village officials and employees, are hereby authorized and directed to enforce the provisions of this section.
(d) Continued violations. Each 24-hour period where a violation occurs shall constitute a separate offense under this section for enforcement purposes. Repeated violations or subsequent additional accumulations of snow and/or ice shall not nullify any pending notice issued under this section.
(e) Abatement after notice. Failure of the owner, occupant, or person in charge of any parcel or lot to cause the removal of snow and/or ice within the time established under subsection (b)(1) and (b)(2) above after receiving a written notice shall result in the village causing the removal of said snow and/or ice.
(f) Expense.
(1) An account of the expenses incurred by the village to abate the snow and/or ice hazard shall be kept, and such expenses shall be charged to and paid by the parcel or lot owner. Notice of the bill for the removal of snow and/or ice shall be mailed to the last-known address of the owner of the parcel or lot and shall be payable within ten calendar days from the receipt thereof.
(2) Within 60 days after such costs and expenses are incurred and remain unpaid, the Village Administrator, Clerk, or highest elected official, as appropriate, shall enter those charges onto the tax roll as a special tax as provided by Wis. Stats. § 66.0907(5).
(g) Penalty. In addition to the provisions set forth in this section, any person, firm, or corporation which violates the provisions of this section shall be subject to a penalty as provided in § 1-1-6.
(Prior Code, § 6-2-7)
Statutory reference:
Similar provisions, see Wis. Stats. §§ 66.0627 and 66.0907(3)(f) and (5)