Tweak to city ordinance makes for higher number of snow shoveling warnings and bills despite less snow
Photo by FILE PHOTO
On a snowy winter day, residents might want to get out and shovel as soon as possible to avoid a more quick reaction from the city thanks to its revamped ordinance.
Story by Nick Erickson, Staff Writer
There was a lot less snow to shovel last winter compared to the winter before. About 35 inches fewer, as a matter of fact.
But Eau Claire residents felt the burden of the city's snow removal ordinance, which was tweaked ahead of last winter.
It states that if residents don't shovel their sidewalks in a 24-hour window, they'll be notified by a door hanger, and if the walks are not cleared, the owner will be issued a citation. The City or private vendor will clean the sidewalk and bill the property owner.
This is different from the previous ordinance where residents got five days to respond to their first warning.
Only 36.7 inches of snowfall this winter, compared to more than 70 inches in the 2013-2014 season, according to WEAU. But the city issued 400 warnings and 85 bills to Eau Claire homes this winter, Eau Claire Street Maintenance Supervisor Jared Books said.
Eau Claire issued 320 warnings and 49 bills the year prior. They're bills, not tickets, because the city charges based on how much slush piles up.
"The people that were wanting these sidewalks to get cleaned … they were just getting frustrated by the fact that they would call in and complain about a property, and we would essentially give them five days," Books said.
Brandon Maroni and his seven roommates were one house that fell victim to the new city ordinance. They got a $121 bill in mid-January, when most of them were home over winter break.
He said while he thinks the 24-hour rule seems pretty fair, college rentals might have a more difficult time following this procedure because of breaks and whacky schedules
"I don't know how the city operates it, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are kind of waiting to pounce on the students that go home for break," he said. "I'm sure that creates a fair amount of revenue."
Books said the city doesn't target college neighborhoods, it simply responds to complaints from people who need the sidewalk for transportation or recreation.
Some student housing offices made deals with students over break that a representative from the office would take care of shoveling the sidewalks while students were gone over break. Students just had to let them know when they would be gone.
Maroni said he and his roommates didn't take those steps this winter, but they will know better next year.
He said he was concerned with the amount of money they were billed because of how little sidewalk they have.
"I don't know, the $120 seemed a lot, in my mind," Maroni said. "But I obviously don't know the price of labor in the city or anything."
Brandon Maroni
City of Eau Claire
Jared Books
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