Snow Must Be Cleared Within 48 Hours of Snowfall’s Conclusion
As the snow starts to accumulate and ice begins to creep onto the concrete, keeping sidewalks clear becomes an important responsibility for the City of Marshfield and its residents.
Per Section 13-35 of the City of Marshfield Municipal Code, all property owners in the City of Marshfield are required to have all snow and ice removed from their sidewalks and curb ramps no later than 48 hours after snow or freezing rain has stopped falling.
Sidewalks must be shoveled “full length and full width,” meaning clearing more than just a shovel path. Residents are also required to keep all drifting snow removed and all ice sprinkled with sand or salt at all time.
All property owners are required to keep their curb ramps cleared along with their sidewalk areas. This mostly applies to corner residents, meaning they are responsible for the crosswalk portion of their sidewalk.
Failure to comply with these requirements will cause the City to clear any sidewalk or curb ramp that is not cleared WITHOUT prior notice, and bill the responsible land owner. The forfeiture for noncompliance is $115.00 per incident for a sidewalk 200 feet or less in length and $130.00 per incident for any sidewalk 200 feet for more in length, and $65 per curb ramp. Downtown sidewalks are charged twice the above amount.
Residents should note that because of the way the City billing cycle is structured, they might have several shoveling violations before receiving a bill.
By clearing sidewalks, residents are not only saving the cost of a fine, but also helping to protect themselves from liability.
Responsible for 11 miles of City-owned sidewalks, the Street Division values the importance of the work. (Parks & Recreation is responsible for all sidewalks bordering City parks, as well as 13 miles of bike trail system.)
“We know the job of keeping sidewalks cleared is not an easy task and seems endless at times but realize the importance of providing a safe means for pedestrian traffic for our city,” said Mike Winch, Street Superintendent.
“Thanks to all the property owners who keep a safe sidewalk on the route I use when I have the time to enjoy a walk and all the other property owners in the City of Marshfield who have safe sidewalks through the winter season,” he added. “Your efforts do not go unnoticed and a safe sidewalk is greatly appreciated. To those few that do not feel it is important and do nothing to keep the sidewalks clean, think again as it is very important to a lot more people than you realize.”
Residents that notice a sidewalk that isn’t cleared can contact the Street Division. For those unable to afford salt, staff are able to provide information on available resources.
Questions can be directed to the Street Division at 715-486-2081. (Help your neighbor, if you can!)
