Snowy Sidewalk Could Cost You $75 More This Winter

For neighborly citizens of a neighborly city and state, it sure can be galling to come across knee-deep drifts of snow covering the sidewalk, many days after a snow storm. And if you've got mobility issues and have a hard time walking on ice? It can be downright infuriating.

A measure passed by the Minneapolis city council last week hopes to change that by adding on a $75 fee to the costs of snow removal, which inconsiderate property owners currently have to pay. The city's Public Works Department hopes to use the fees to nudge delinquit property owners instead of relying on the little-used $104 fee-and-civil-offense-combo currently in use to punish the worst offenders. Public Works also hopes to check in on delinquent shovelers more frequently by using contractors to drop by within four days of the first inspection, instead of the usual seven. 

Find out more about Minneapolis' sidewalk clearing rules on the city's website.