At least once a week Mark Cooper walks through the snow to Big Load Laundry located on Keefe Ave. He said the owner very rarely clears the parking lot and sidewalks of snow.
"It sucks! Come on man, you're running a business. What are you doing," said Copper.
Wednesday afternoon, the parking lot blankets with snow and ice and no one were there to answer questions about it. Inside the building, a business card for a plowing company lodged on the outside of the employee office door.
District 4 Alderman Robert Bauman said he has no leniency for businesses failing to clear their sidewalks.
"I have no mercy for commercial properties that are not shoveling their snow," said Bauman.
Are the sidewalks clear where you live?
— Adriana Mendez (@AdrianaMendez) February 20, 2019
Business owners and residents have 24 hours from when the snow stops falling to clear a path for resides if not, a notice will be given. Once the notice is issued, they then have another 24 hours to shovel their sidewalk. If the sidewalk is still not clear, the city will then hire a private contractor or send out an employee to do the job and send you the bill.
"By the time we get to enforcement people have had 2 days," said Alderman Nik Kovac
So far the city has issued 419 citations for people failing to remove snow from the sidewalk but Kovac said the best enforcement is neighbors talking to one another and helping each other out.
For more information on the rules and regulations or if you would like to apply for the hardship program,click here.
