Somerville Doles Out 'Scarlet Letters' For Shoveling Negligence

Image credit: Patch file photo

Those who doubted that Somerville would bother to enforce the new snow-shoveling rules enacted late last year likely know better by now.

Thanks to the repeated deluges of snow that fell on Massachusetts in recent days, the so-called “Scarlet Letter” ordinance has seen its first week of significant application, as reported in yesterday’s Boston Globe. The source chronicles the journey of City Inspector Chris Roche as he treks through Somerville, hanging bright yellow tickets on properties where the owners have failed to clean their sidewalks of snow within the allotted time.

“I have lived in Somerville my whole life, and I can definitely say the sidewalks are in a lot better shape now than they have been in prior years,” he told the Globe, speaking favorably of the new ordinance.

If the snowfall occurs during the night, property owners in Somerville have until 10 a.m. to remove snow from their sidewalks, and 10 p.m. is the deadline for daylight snow, unless the city announces to the contrary. Property owners who don’t shovel their sidewalks can expect a glaring yellow ticket for between $25 and $200, depending on the number of prior offenses, hanged on their door or fence, and neighbors who know darn well whose fault it is that they have to walk in the street.