COLORADO SPRINGS — With snowy weather already upon us it's a good reminder for all property owners that it's your responsibility to shovel your sidewalks when it snows.
News 5 spoke with a woman in Colorado Springs who's confined to a wheelchair. She said sometimes when it snows property owners on Academy Boulevard won't shovel their sidewalks which makes it pretty difficult for her to get around.
Carrissa McDonald said she uses sidewalks near her home "four times a month and it's to go grocery shopping, it's to go to my doctor, anywhere I've got to go I've got to go to Academy because that's where the bus stop is."
Getting to her destination isn't always easy. She said in the three years she's lived near Academy she's reached out to property owners nearby asking if they could shovel their sidewalks.
She said some have told her, "That's not our sidewalk. That's not our responsibility. We're not going to do it."
But if she calls the city she will let them know and "they're out here within a few minutes getting it shoveled so that I can go about my business and live my life."
Mitch Hammes with the City of Colorado Springs said, "Sidewalks need to be shoveled within 24 hours of the end of the snow event by the property owners or occupants that are adjacent to that sidewalk."
Hammes said if a property owner doesn't do this the city will come out and treat it as an educational visit. He said, "We'll knock on the door, explain why. We'll leave a note, that kind of stuff."
They also won't be charged. But if it becomes an issue and people don't want to comply Hammes said, "We have a variety of enforcement efforts, but you could face up to a $2,500 fine and up to 189 days in jail."
Hammes said in the last three-and half-years he's been with the city they've never issued a fine for not shoveling the sidewalk.
He said if you are having trouble getting your sidewalks cleared you can call Neighborhood Services at 719-444-7891.
