Snow emergency lifted; remnemer to shovel your sidewalk

Shovel your sidewalk

Most cities in Minnesota have ordinances requiring property owners to clear their sidewalks after a snowfall. Benson is one of those cities, though an increasing number of people seem to be ignoring the law.

Benson’s ordinance states that:

All snow and ice… remaining on a public sidewalk in the central business snow removal area after 12:01 p.m. of the day following cessation of its deposit thereon, or on any other public sidewalk more than 72 hours after its deposit, is a public nuisance.

“The owner and the occupant of any property adjacent to a public sidewalk shall use due diligence to keep such walk safe for pedestrians,” the ordinance says.

No property owner or occupant shall allow snow or ice… to remain on a public sidewalk adjacent to his or her property in the city’s central business snow removal area after 12:01 p.m. of the day following the cessation of the snowfall. In other areas of the city, the snow must be removed from the sidewalk within 72 hours of the snowfall stopping.

“However, the city may suspend snow removal requirements in certain areas where the walking traffic is light, and unusually severe conditions make snow removal or ice removal unreasonable.

The city council may designate an official of the city who shall cause the removal from all public sidewalks of snow and ice, as soon as possible beginning not sooner than 12:01 p.m. of the day following the snowfall ending.

“He or she shall keep a record showing the cost of such removal adjacent to each separate lot and parcel and shall deliver such information to the city manager,” the law says.