Originally published Wednesday, December 24, 2008 at 12:00 AM
PrintShoveling snow is landowners' responsibility
Home and property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from their driveways and the sidewalks next to their property, says the Seattle Department of Transportation.
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JOHN LOK / THE SEATTLE TIMES
A pedestrian makes his way up Jackson Street in Seattle's Central Area a few feet from the traffic that had slowed down alongside him Tuesday.
Whose job is it to shovel the snow piled up on the sidewalk in front of your house? Yours, according to the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT).
"Home and property owners are responsible for clearing their driveways and the sidewalks next to their property. Unfortunately, SDOT does not have the resources to clear sidewalks," says the department's Web site (www.seattle.gov/transportation/snowandicefaqs.htm).
Can you force a recalcitrant neighbor to shovel before someone breaks a hip? And if you slip on someone's snowy sidewalk, can you sue? The city doesn't get involved in private property, and the Seattle Municipal Code doesn't specify any penalties for not cleaning, said Seattle City Attorney spokeswoman Katie Lindstrom.
However, she said, "If the owner or occupant doesn't do anything, that definitely is an argument for liability."
Copyright © 2008 The Seattle Times Company
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