In March 2015, Ann Arbor resident Ken Clark, then a member of the city's Pedestrian Safety and Access Task Force, compiled the following list of local ordinance requirements in other jurisdictions for sidewalk snow clearance. 

The list is categorized based on snow clearance requirements: 

Municipalities Requiring Clearance if 1, 2, or 4 Inches of Snow has Fallen 

  1. Ann Arbor, MI - if 1 inch or more has fallen, all snow must be cleared.
  2. Novi, MI - “shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or premises to the front or side (but not to the rear) within the time required in this section. Within forty-eight (48) hours after the end of each accumulation of snow of two (2) inches or more, the owner or occupant of every property shall remove the accumulation from the adjacent public sidewalk and walks and ramps leading to a crosswalk”
  3. Iowa City, Iowa - “The snow ordinance in Iowa City states that the entire width of a public sidewalk must be cleared of a 1 inch or greater snowfall within 24 hours after the snow has stopped.”
  4. Jackson, MI - “shall clear accumulations of ice and snow, constituting a threat to the public safety, from sidewalks adjoining such lot or premises within the time specified herein. Clearing of ice or snow, for purposes of this section, shall be clearing to a minimum of thirty-six (36) inches in width and the entire length of sidewalk adjoining said property. 
    (1) Snow, constituting a threat to the public safety, shall be cleared from all sidewalks in the city within twenty-four (24) hours after cessation of such snowfall.
    (2) Ice, constituting a threat to the public safety, shall be cleared from all sidewalks in the city immediately upon cessation of the storm producing the ice.
    (3) For purposes of this section, an accumulation of snow four (4) inches or greater, or any accumulation of ice upon any sidewalk, shall be deemed to be a threat to public safety.”

Municipalities Requiring Clearance if Any Snow Has Fallen 

  1. Adrian, MI - “shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or parcel of land within the time required in this subsection When any snow shall fall or drift upon any sidewalk, the owner or occupant of the lot or parcel of land adjacent to such sidewalk shall remove such snow as shall have fallen or accumulated during the nighttime by 12:00 noon, and snow failing or drifting during the day shall be removed before 12:00 noon of the following day. “
  2. Battle Creek, MI - “shall remove such snow or cause the same to be removed within the periods of time herein prescribed. Snow that has accumulated during the night shall be removed before 12:00 noon. Snow that has fallen or drifted during the day shall be removed before 12:00 noon of the following day. “
  3. Bay City, MI - “No person shall allow the accumulation of snow or ice on the sidewalk adjoining any premises owned or occupied by him for a greater length of time than 24 hours after the cessation of any storm of snow or sleet. “
  4. Brighton, MI - “Whenever any snow shall fall or drift on or across any sidewalk, the owner or occupant of the lot, building or other premises adjacent to or abutting upon the sidewalk, shall remove such snow or cause the same to be removed within periods of time herein limited:
    (1)  Snow that has accumulated in or during the nighttime shall be removed by 6:00 p.m. of the day thereof;
    (2)  Snow falling or drifting during the day shall be removed before 12:00 noon of the following day.”
  5. Buffalo, NY - “shall be the duty of every owner or occupant of any premises abutting any public street to remove, before 9:00 a.m., all snow and ice which may have fallen upon the sidewalk abutting said premises”
  6. Chelsea, MI - “It shall be the duty of the owner or occupant of every parcel of real estate within the city which adjoins a public right-of-way upon which there has been constructed a public sidewalk, to remove any accumulations of ice and snow which obstruct the free use of the sidewalk by pedestrians, within 48 hours after the accumulation of such snow or ice. “
  7. Chicago, IL - “shall remove the snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of such building or lot of ground.”  … “The snow which falls or accumulates during the day (excepting Sundays) before four p.m. shall be removed within three hours after the same has fallen or accumulated. The snow which falls or accumulates on Sunday or after four p.m. and during the night on other days shall be removed before ten a.m.”
  8. Cleveland, OH - “shall clear the whole sidewalk in front of the tenement, building, lot or land, of snow and ice, before 9:00 a.m. of each day”
  9. Dearborn, MI - “No occupant of any premises or owner of premises or property shall fail to keep the sidewalks in front of or adjacent to such premises or property clear of ice and/or snow, so far as to facilitate pedestrian use.”
  10. Dexter, MI - “(a) Businesses and residents shall clear the sidewalks adjoining their property of snow. Failure to clear the sidewalks in a timely manner constitutes a violation of this division.
    (b) Owners/residents shall have such sidewalks clear within 48 hours of snow cessation.”
  11. Ferndale, MI - “Whenever any snow shall fall or drift on or across any sidewalk in any street or other public place of this city, the occupant or agent of such occupant having charge of the lot, building or other premises adjacent to or abutting upon said sidewalk, shall remove the said snow or cause the same to be removed within the periods of time herein limited, to wit: Snow that has accumulated in or during the nighttime shall be removed by 12:00 noon; snow falling or drifting during the day shall be removed before noon of the following day. “
  12. Garden City, MI - “shall clean all snow from sidewalks adjoining the lot or parcel of land within 24 hours of the time that snow has accumulated.”
  13. Grand Rapids, MI - “shall clear any accumulation of ice or snow from the public sidewalks adjoining such property within twenty-four (24) hours of the accumulation or placement of snow or ice on said sidewalks.”
  14. Grosse Pointe, MI - “No person shall permit any snow or ice to remain accumulated on sidewalks within the public right-of-way in the front, rear or sides of any business, house, building or lot owned, occupied or controlled by him longer than 24 hours after the same has fallen. “
  15. Kalamazoo, MI - “It shall be unlawful for the owner or occupant of any lot or building within the corporate limits of the City to permit or suffer to remain, on the sidewalk opposite and in front of such lot or building or on any alley adjacent thereto, any snow, ice or rubbish of any kind. “
  16. Lansing, MI - “No person shall permit any snow or ice to remain on any public sidewalk adjacent to any house, building or lot owned or occupied by that person, or on the public sidewalk adjacent to any multifamily dwelling or unoccupied house, building or lot owned by that person, for more than 24 hours after the same has fallen or formed.”
  17. Livonia, MI - “shall clean all ice or snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or parcel of land within the time herein required. When any snow falls or drifts upon any sidewalk, the owner or occupant of the lot or parcel of land adjacent to the sidewalk shall remove such snow as shall have fallen or accumulated during the nighttime, by twelve noon; snow falling or drifting during the day shall be removed before twelve noon the following day”
  18. Madison, WI - “To make public sidewalks safe for pedestrians, the owner or occupant of property immediately adjacent to a public sidewalk is responsible for the removal of any snow or ice that accumulates on the sidewalk. Residents are required to clear snow from their sidewalk by noon of the day after the snow stopped.”
  19. Manchester, MI - “Except as provided in divisions (B)(3) or (B)(4) below, snow and ice shall be so removed from all residential sidewalks within 24 hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet, or freezing rain.” [(B)(3) refers to treating ice, (B)(4) is a hardship provision.]
  20. Marquette, MI - “shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or premises within the time herein required. When any snow or ice shall cease to fall during the daylight hours, such snow or ice shall be cleared from the sidewalks within two hours after such cessation. When a fall of snow or ice shall have ceased during the nighttime, it shall be cleared from the sidewalks by 10:00 a.m. of the day following.”
  21. Minneapolis, MN - “shall cause the snow and/or ice to be removed from the public sidewalk abutting or adjoining the lot upon which such building is situated, within the first twenty-four (24) hours after the ceasing to fall of any snow, and shall cause sand to be sprinkled on the sidewalk where there is snow or ice upon the sidewalk that cannot be removed.”
  22. New York, NY - “shall, within four hours after the snow ceases to fall, or after the deposit of any dirt or other material upon such sidewalk, remove the snow or ice, dirt, or other material from the sidewalk and gutter, the time between nine post meridian and seven ante meridian not being included in the above period of four hours.”
  23. Northville, MI - “Where either snow or ice has fallen or formed on any such sidewalk, such owner, occupant or his agent shall, within 24 hours after the snow or ice has fallen or formed, remove such snow or ice, or cause a sufficient quantity of salt, sand or ashes to be strewn thereon in such a manner as to render the same safe for persons walking thereon”
  24. Petoskey, MI - “shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or parcel of land within the time herein required. When any snow shall fall or drift upon any sidewalk, the owner or occupant of the lot or parcel of land adjacent to such sidewalk, shall remove such snow as shall have fallen or accumulated during the nighttime, by 12:00 noon; snow falling or drifting during the day shall be removed before 12:00 noon of the following day.”
  25. Pittsburgh, PA - “shall, within twenty-four (24) hours after the fall of any snow or sleet, or the accumulation of ice caused by freezing rainfall, cause the same to be removed from the sidewalk.”
  26. Plymouth, MI - “shall, within 24 hours after the same has fallen or formed, remove or cause to be removed any snow or ice which may have fallen”
  27. Pontiac, MI - “shall remove and clear away, or cause to be removed and cleared away, snow and ice from so much of such sidewalk as is in front of or abuts on such building or lot or piece of land. Except as provided in subsection (c) of this section, snow and ice shall be so removed from sidewalks within 24 hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet or freezing rain.” [(c) refers to treating ice.]
  28. Port Huron, MI - “shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or premises within the time required in this section. When any snow or ice shall cease to fall during the daylight hours, such snow or ice shall be cleared from the sidewalks within 12 hours after such cessation. When a fall of snow or ice shall have ceased during the nighttime, it shall be cleared from the sidewalks by 6:00 p.m. of the day following. “
  29. Rochester, NY - “must keep the sidewalks adjoining such building or lot free and clear from snow and ice and must not suffer or permit snow or ice to collect or remain on such sidewalk later than 9:00 a.m. if such snow shall have fallen or collected after 8:00 p.m. of the previous evening; or later than 8:00 p.m. if such snow shall have fallen and collected after 9:00 a.m.”
  30. Rochester Hills, MI - “a. When any snow or ice shall cease to fall or form during the daylight hours, such snow or ice shall be cleared from the sidewalk within 48 hours after such cessation.
    b. When any snow or ice shall cease to fall or form during the nighttime, such snow or ice shall be cleared from the sidewalk within 48 hours after sunrise.”
  31. Saline, MI - “shall remove and clear away, or cause to be removed and cleared away, snow and ice from a path of at least 42 inches in width from so much of the sidewalk as is in front of or abuts on the building or lot of land.” “Except as provided in subsection (b) hereof, snow and ice shall be so removed from all other sidewalks within the city within 24 hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet or freezing rain.” [(b) refers to ice and requires sand/salt, ashes, etc in the same timeframes as above.]
  32. South Lyon, MI - “shall remove and clear away, or cause to be removed and cleared away, snow and ice from so much of such sidewalk as is in front of or abuts on said building, lot or piece of land. Except as provided in subsection (2) of this section, snow and ice shall be removed from sidewalks within 24 hours after the cessation of any fall of snow, sleet or freezing rain.”
  33. Syracuse, NY - “shall clear and keep cleared any snow or ice which has accumulated on the surface. This clearing of the snow and ice shall be completed by 6 p.m. of the day following the accumulation”
  34. Toledo, OH - “shall clear the walk of snow, ice, dirt, or any other debris within twenty-four hours after such deposit.”
  35. Warren, MI - “Whenever any snow or ice has fallen or accumulated, it shall be cleared within twelve (12) hours after it has fallen or accumulated.”
  36. Westland, MI - “No person shall permit any snow or ice to remain on the sidewalks in the front, rear or sides of any house, premises, building or lot owned or controlled by such person longer than 24 hours after any snow or ice has fallen or formed”
  37. Ypsilanti, MI - “shall clear all ice and snow from sidewalks adjoining such lot or parcel of land within 48 hours from the first accumulation of such snow or ice. When any snow shall fall or drift upon any sidewalk, the owner, occupant or manager of the lot or parcel of land adjacent the such sidewalk shall remove such snowwithin 48 hours from the first accumulation.” Ypsi Municode Link

Municipalities with Unclear Requirements 

  1. Cadillac, MI - “The occupant of any premises, or the owner of any unoccupied premises is required to keep the sidewalks in front of or adjacent to such premises cleared, so far as is practicable and reasonable, from snow and ice to facilitate pedestrian use. “
  2. East Lansing, MI - “(c) Snow that accumulates before noon on a sidewalk, as the result of a snowfall, shall be cleared from the sidewalk so as to afford reasonably unimpeded passage by the public by midnight of that date and any snow accumulating after noon on a sidewalk, as a result of a snowfall, shall be cleared to the same extent by midnight of the following day. (d) Snow that accumulates on a sidewalk as the result of plowing or drifting shall be cleared from the sidewalk so as to afford reasonably unimpeded passage by the public within 24 hours.”

 

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