Shovel your driveway for convenience. Shovel the sidewalk or be FINED!
By: Teris Pantazes of EFynch.com
Timonium, MD: After every snowstorm you will ultimately hear the scrape of distant shovels and snowblowers. These are your good neighbors who are out clearing their driveways in order to avoid busting their Phisteris' or just taking a terrible slip. But I have to tell you, it doesn't end there.
As a dog owner (actually, 2 mutts in my household!), I take them out for an stroll every evening. I constantly encounter a lack of sidewalk clearing and because I don't want to be a nosy neighbor, I politely trudge through the snow risking my own demise. Therein lies a problem because without resolution, you are opening yourself to fines and even worse, HOMEOWNER LIABILITY.
I live in Baltimore County. But, I have also managed properties in Prince George's, Montgomery, Anne Arundel, Baltimore City, and Washington D.C. I can tell you without any hesitation of doubt that within each and these jurisdictions- THE SIDEWALK IS THE HOMEOWNERS RESPONSIBILITY TO KEEP CLEAR.
Your local municipaltiy typically has very strict guidelines on when, how, and what to clear. Snow and ice are included and must be cleaned otherwise they can (although they hardly ever do), fine you.
More importantly- Because the "keeping clear" task is assigned to the homeowner, you can be held liable if someone were to slip and fall. To make it worse, your insurance may not cover you depending on your efforts (has to do with negligence, ask an attorney, not me for clarification on that).
In Baltimore County, you have 24 hours from the end of a snowstorm. Baltimore City- 5 hours!
Most homeowner's are not aware of this. Because we were never told of this liability when we were all mere home buyers- the task is becoming more and more forgotten. As a newly "more informed" homeowner, you now know better and may be savings yourself from huge headaches in the future. When that 5am walker slips on the sidewalk outside your front yard and breaks a bone, you will know what to show their insurance company and you have proof that you performed your homeowner responsibility and should not be held liable.
For more information or regular/ real time advice and updates- follow EFynch on Facebook and be sure to register as a homeowner on our main page- the more homeowners we have the more info we can provide. (*privacy protected, we literally only email once every 2 months)
I hope this helps. It can be a painful lesson for those who ignore it.
Useful Links:
Baltimore County Ordinance
Baltimore City Ordinance
Montgomery County Ordinance
Anne Arundel County Ordinance
Prince George's County Ordinance
Washington D.C. Ordinance
Howard County Ordinance
*Disclaimer: EFynch.com is a handyman and homeowner platform and community. We do not perform any physical work on your properties but only discuss general homeowner and home improvement advice. Please consult with your local municipality, insurance company, or a qualified professional for obtain information as it pertains to your exact situation and property. The information above is for conversation purposes only. Further Homebuyer information can be found here.
