KALAMAZOO, MI (WKZO AM/FM) – It may be hard to think about snow here in the middle of August, but Kalamazoo city commissioners will be tonight, when they are presented with a plan to encourage more residents to clear their sidewalks of snow.
City staff say the current ordinance isn’t working. They say issuing a ticket is an expensive and time-consuming process that doesn’t get the sidewalk cleaned.
Their plan is to clear the sidewalks along some major streets, like Park and Westnedge, at city expense. Inside the neighborhoods, if the sidewalk hasn’t been cleared of snow 48 hours after it falls, the city would do it and send the homeowner the bill.
Commissioners will receive a presentation on a pilot project, and a proposed ordinance revision for first reading tonight.
Sounds like a plan, but when GR put a similar plan in place, they found out a majority of the locations that were not shoveled were owned by the City of Grand Rapids. If we have to comply, then every city-owned property must comply. We will be watching.