Snow shoveling scofflaws face icy city fines
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Wednesday morning snowfall on Belmont Avenue in Lakeview. Photo: Monica Eng/Axios
If you didn't get your snowy sidewalk shoveled by 10pm Wednesday, you could be liable for a fine of $50-$500 per day.
Why it matters: Snowy, icy sidewalks endanger everyone, but especially the elderly and people with disabilities. Plus, no one likes fines.
- Still, many remain foggy on city rules.
Catch up quick: Chicago law requires all property owners (and even renters, depending on lease provisions) to clear daytime snow by 10pm and nighttime snow by 10am across 5 feet of sidewalk.
- Those who don't comply can get reported by people who call 311 or submit a complaint online.
- Shovelers should not move snow to bike lanes, the street or crosswalks.
By the numbers: Since 2018, the city has collected more than $545,000 from 2,322 shoveling violations, according to city records Axios obtained through a FOIA request.
- Out of those 2,322 citations, 1,911 were paid in full, while 19 were partially paid and 392 were never paid.
- Between 2019 and 2023, an average of 1 out of 15 complaints resulted in a citation, per a South Side Weekly analysis. Most citations are issued to businesses or repeat offenders.
Friction point: Last fall, a "Plow the Sidewalks" pilot that would've tasked city workers with shoveling duties in areas with vulnerable populations failed to advance in the City Council.
- A South Side Weekly analysis of 2019-2023 data found the wards with the highest number of citations were the 15th, covering Greater Englewood, but also the 43rd, dominated by Lincoln Park.
The intrigue: While more snow fell in 2018 and 2019 than 2021 and 2022, those earlier years saw less than half as many shoveling citations issued by the city.
The bottom line: No matter how much snow falls, property owners are responsible for clearing it promptly, and citations appear to be picking up steam.