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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Spokane Valley may push property owners to shovel sidewalks

At last week’s Spokane Valley City Council meeting, council member Dean Grafos brought up a perennial winter issue: Some property owners are not shoveling their sidewalks.

“I’m tired of seeing especially elderly people walking in the street because the sidewalk isn’t clear,” Grafos said.

He said he’d like for Spokane Valley to take the problem more seriously and do some enforcement.

Grafos said he had noticed larger businesses are more likely to fail at clearing snow and ice.

“The smaller businesses seem to do a better job,” he said.

According to Spokane Valley’s municipal code, “snow or ice not removed from a public sidewalk within a reasonable time” is a “prohibited nuisance.”

Spokane Valley spokeswoman Carolbelle Branch said the city works with violators and usually reaches a voluntary agreement that brings property owners into compliance, rather than issuing a $500 fine.

In Spokane the municipal code says: “Owners and occupants of premises shall keep the sidewalk areas adjacent to any portion of the real property (including corners) free and clear of snow and/or accumulations of snow or ice.”

Spokane also works with property owners to find a voluntary solution before issuing citations and fines.

Property owners who for health-related reasons are unable to clear their sidewalks are still responsible for snow and ice removal and may have to hire help.

Boy Scouts no longer come out and clear snow.

“That’s many, many years ago that we did that,” said Taylor Knight, program assistant at Boy Scouts of America Inland Northwest Council.