KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The City of Kalamazoo is making clearing snow from sidewalks a priority.
An ordinance update was introduced at the Kalamazoo City Commission meeting Monday night with the goal of keeping sidewalks clear in the winter.
The changes would make property owners responsible for clearing the sidewalks on their property. If sidewalks are not cleared down to the pavement 48 hours after a snowfall event, the city will clear the sidewalk and bill the property owner. That’s a change from the previous ordinance that would fine the owner but wouldn’t get the sidewalk cleared. Commissioner Chris Praedel said this is an issue he hears about from residents often.
“It’s been a pervasive, long-term issue that our community has grappled with,” said city commissioner Chris Praedel. “You balance the fact that we know we need to make a more interconnected community and this is a major inhibitor … you might have 40 people who live on a block but if two or three people decide not to participate it’s not an interconnected community.”