City Residents Will Get Penalty for Unshoveled Sidewalks

Inspectors were out Thursday seeking residences within the city of Evanston with unshoveled sidewalks. Those owners will face a penalty after being warned twice of a law that requires sidewalks to be cleared by property owners within 24 hours when it snows four inches or more during a single storm.

Evanston Assistant health director Carl Caneva said those still in violation Thursday from Sunday’s snowstorm would be cleared by a city contractor, with the homeowner on the hook for the cost of that in addition to any city time spent on the issue.

“This is nothing new,” Caneva said. “It has been on the books for awhile now.”

Inspectors in the Health and Human Services department left a door hanger describing the requirements of shoveling within 24 hours and clearing a 36” wide path at 195 residences that were not in compliance by Tuesday. On Wednesday, 56 still unshoveled properties were issued a notice of violation. If any are still unshoveled by Thursday afternoon, properties requiring contracted shoveling/clearance will be issued liens and ticketed for noncompliance.

“If we have another major snow event, the residences that have been notified already will be served another lein if they don’t shovel within 24 hours of that event,” according to Caneva.

“We knocked off 140 properties with our warnings and citations - so that’s good,” he added. “But we still have 56 not in compliance, and want everyone to be in compliance.”

The city does have a program through 3-1-1 in which one of 75 volunteers will come shovel an area if the occupier is unable to do so. Thus far, Caneva said 100 have taken advantage.

Caneva said the list of those not in compliance as of Wednesday was a mix of residences and businesses, but that a full list of violators was not available at the time.