Quad City Residence Could See Fines For Refusing To Shovel Sidewalks

The Midwest is infamous for snow, and property owners in Iowa and Illinois are legally responsible for clearing snow and ice off of their sidewalks down to the concrete as it could otherwise be a safety hazard. Even those who are renting properties should review their contracts to determine whether snow and ice removal responsibilities have been transferred to them by their landlord. Though it might sound like an inconvenience you can easily ignore, you might change your mind when you hear how much it could hurt your wallet.

While it depends on if law enforcement will enforce it or not, both Iowa and Illinois have fines for those who do not shovel their walk ways.

In December of 2020, Des Moines, Iowa refined it’s snow removal policies which, according to officials, have helped significantly in making sure people are doing their duty. According to the Des Moines Register,

Fines start at $75 for a first offense and increase $25 for each additional violation — $100 for a second and $125 for a third — topping out at $175 for a fifth or subsequent offense.

The laws have also been revised so that fines can accumulate over the course of three winters. So, if you get a fine one year and then don’t get one until the next winter, you’re still looking at $100 for that second fine even though it was the first one of that winter.

Similarly, in parts of Illinois, homeowners can be charged with $50 fines daily while business owners can suffer fines anywhere from $250 to over $1000 per day.

Each city has it's own rules as well. Moline, Davenport, and Bettendorf all have time limits and possible fines for snow removal, while Rock Island does not.

It may seem trivial, but doing your part to keep the sidewalks clear helps create a safer environment especially for the elderly or those with disabilities. Help keep the Quad Cities safe this year.

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