The snow that fell a week ago is still sticking around in parts of northeast Ohio. Now some cities are threatening to crack down on business owners and landlords who still haven’t cleared their sidewalks.
State law allows local governments to decide if they want to punish property owners for not clearing their abutting sidewalks. There are laws on the books in several cities in northeast Ohio including Rocky River, Parma and Lakewood. That's where owners are required to shovel within 24 hours before getting a warning and a chance to correct it.
“By and large, our enforcement is complaint driven,” Lakewood Mayor Mike Summers said. "So I would encourage citizens who know somebody who chronically doesn’t do their job to let us know so we can bring their attention to it.”
The ice and snow are especially dangerous for the elderly and disabled, who are sometimes even forced to battle oncoming traffic instead of taking on an icy sidewalk.
The law varies city to city so be sure to check your local code.
