While students are away for summer break, Athens City Council reminded landlords that it is their responsibility to clean sidewalks.
Despite a large number of Athens residents being away for spring break, Athens City Council members reminded homeowners and renters to shovel their sidewalks at their Monday night meeting.
Though sidewalks are considered public right-of-ways, those residing behind them are responsible for making sure the concrete is traversable by shoveling or salting it.
Athens Municipal Code states that residents have four hours after a snowfall to clear the area. If one fails to do so, they are administered a warning from Athens Code Enforcement.
A total of 71 warnings were administered in the last week after the code office did a sweep of areas that are considered safe routes for schools, North Congress Street and Stimson Avenue, Council President Chris Knisely said.
Knisely sat as acting mayor during the meeting due to Mayor Paul Wiehl’s absence.
Knisely said all residents who received a warning were in compliance with code within 24 hours.
City Law Director Lisa Eliason said that if residents do not conform to code within that time, they receive minor misdemeanor charges.
Some council members were concerned with the lack of shoveled sidewalks in student-populated areas while the students are away.
“I know people who have called me where they’ve had to walk in the street,” Councilwoman Chris Fahl, D-4th Ward, said.
Fahl used the sidewalks in front of Ohio University’s Delta Gamma house on North College Street. She said that due to the house being empty for spring break, no one had shoveled the sidewalks.
“If someone falls and breaks their neck, who’s responsible?” Fahl asked.
Eliason said that the owners or the current occupants are “responsible for premise.”
City Safety-Service Director Paula Horan-Mosely added that when students are out of town, “every rental house is supposed to have a maintenance person on call” to shovel sidewalks.
“We don’t want to go out and bust people all the time; it’s a waste of our time,” Fahl said. “I encourage people to go out and look at their sites.”
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