Richmond says clearing icy sidewalks is up to residents and landlords
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The sidewalk on Crenshaw Avenue near Carytown. Sidewalks over the Nickel Bridge and bike lanes in South Richmond look similar. Photo: Karri Peifer/Axios
More than a week after the storm, sidewalks across Richmond remain icy and dangerous to use.
Why it matters: City officials are largely banking on residents, landlords or warmer temperatures to resolve the pedestrian safety hazard.
State of play: City code doesn't explicitly address ice removal, but it requires tenants and property owners to clear snow from sidewalks fronting their homes within 6 hours of it no longer falling — or by 11am if it stops overnight.
- Violations are a Class 4 misdemeanor, but there's little sign the rule is being enforced.
What they're saying: The city doesn't typically take on "resident/landlord's responsibility to maintain these areas," spokesperson Margaret Ekam told Axios.
- But Ekam noted that "this has been a unique winter event and we will identify, prioritize and assist in areas where life/safety concerns exist."
- The city didn't specify which areas had been identified but said a request to step in over life or safety concerns "has to come from the fire or police departments."
Meanwhile, from South Richmond to the Fan and Northside to Shockoe, residents are still filing 311 requests saying their landlord or apartment complex hasn't cleared surrounding sidewalks, Axios found.
- While many of those requests are marked "completed," staff comments show it's mostly because the city assigned the ticket to code enforcement, which may take 5-7 days to schedule an inspection.
- In the meantime, Axios reporters have observed people walking on the roads to avoid the treacherous walkways.
Zoom in: City officials won't say whether they plan to fine landlords for failure to clear the sidewalks abutting their properties.
- They say safety concerns received through police or 311 are reviewed case by case, with "the resident/landlord" given verbal notice and time to comply before any citation is issued.
- Ekam noted that officials "understand clearing the ice may take some additional time."
Of note: As pedestrians navigate icy conditions, Ekam told Axios that the city isn't tracking whether cars are blocked in by plowing — another recurring complaint on 311.
- And any plan to clear those parking lanes is unlikely since it requires drivers to move their cars first, Ekam said.
What's next: Parking enforcement resumes Monday.
Go deeper: Richmonders beg 311 to fix unplowed, icy neighborhood roads