As students and East Lansing residents prepare to leave the area for spring break, city officials warn that the sidewalks around homes must remain clear of snow and ice, even if residents are out of town.
According to a city ordinance, residents must shovel snow from the sidewalks around their homes within 24 hours of snowfall, or face an $85 ticket.
"It is just really a deterrent," said Todd Sneathen, director of the city's Department of Public Works. "We did have some situations where we were having trouble with people not removing snow in a timely manner."
The city handed out more than $4,000 in snow removal fines during MSU's winter break.
Sneathen said a ticket is only issued if there has been no attempt to remove snow or ice from a sidewalk.
But some students say ticketing while they are away from school is unjust.
"I don't think that it's fair at all for the city to charge students for snow removal," said Jessica Albert, an interdisciplinary studies and humanities senior. "The city should have some method of snow removal for neighborhoods."
But for other students, shoveling snow from around their homes will not be a big deal.
"During spring break, a lot of students will still be in their houses, and snow removal shouldn't be a problem," said anthropology junior Kelly Nowicki.
Anyone who rents in the city must sign an agreement to have snow removed, either by a landlord or tenant, city officials said. Copies of this contract are supposed to be attached to each lease signed in the city.
"The lease addendum is something every property owner should have as part of their lease," said Annette Irwin, operations administrator for code enforcement and neighborhood conservation. "It's clear and points out problems to tenants that might happen if you are living in a home for the first time."
Some say they have received a ticket, despite efforts to clean the snow from the sidewalk. Others complain the city's snow plows push snow back onto their driveways. This concern was brought up at City Council meetings after winter break.
Sneathen said citizens must remove the snow around their home, even if it was pushed up onto a sidewalk or a driveway by a snow plow.
"We just say to people that they need to get out and reshovel the various areas," he said. "We try to keep the streets clear of snow and ice so that we can travel on them. I live in East Lansing, so I do the same thing."
Reasons for ticketing homes include the safety of pedestrians and schoolchildren, Sneathen said, adding that snow-covered sidewalks can be dangerous for people with disabilities.
"This community has an inordinate number of people who walk," he said. "If a person has a sidewalk that is in front of their home, they need to make sure it is clear of snow and ice."
Staff writer Sarah Norris contributed to this report.
