Are You legally Required to Shovel Your Sidewalks in Laramie?
"Winter is coming" for sure, and Laramie has its way of telling you that. With the frigid temperatures on the way, we are currently in a windchill warning. Wind chills lower than -40F to potentially -70F are expected over a large area on Wednesday and Thursday of this week, along with a possible Flash Freeze event. Oh and, the forecast also calls for a chance of snow. Ah... great.
You can read the current forecast for the week here.
We all know that Wyoming weather can be super unpredictable. One second it says it's sunny, and the next it'll be a dump of snow. Forecasts in Wyoming can change in a matter of minutes, so who knows, maybe we'll get a foot of snow!
And I'm so not ready to start shoveling my sidewalks. Do you think we can just skip it? It's freezing. I really don't want to do it... And I'm an adult! NO ONE CAN TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
Unfortunately, the law can tell me what to do. The City of Laramie legally requires homeowners to shovel their walkways.
Sigh. Time to pick up that shovel.
Laramie Homeowners Are Legally Required to Shovel Their Sidewalks
According to Laramie Municipal Code 12.08.020, "All persons shall keep the sidewalks in front of and adjacent to the tenements or grounds owned by them clear of obstructions such as snow, ice, mud, dirt, rubbish or filth."
A minimum of 42-inch path or the entire sidewalk, including any ADA features, must be cleared.
What Happens If You Don't Shovel Your Sidewalks?
You can face a fine if you don't shovel your sidewalks by 10 AM the following day after a snowfall. If you fail to do so, the City can have the snow removed professionally and then charge the occupants/owners of a home for the costs established in Section 8.32.260.
The code also states that for all violations of this section, the "owner shall be charged the contractor's fee plus a fee of one hundred dollars or fifty percent of the contractor's fee, whichever is greater."
Do You Have to Shovel While It's Still Snowing?
Technically, the ordinance states you must shovel by 10 AM the following day after a snowfall. However, the law doesn't clarify if that's different for continuous snowfall.
For more clarification on snow removal rules for Laramie, click here.