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Aug 29, 2023

Casper City Council looks to draft ordinance on sidewalk snow removal

CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council engaged in a discussion during its work session on Tuesday, Aug. 22, regarding potential updates to city ordinances related to snow disposal and removal. The

CASPER, Wyo. — The Casper City Council engaged in a discussion during its work session on Tuesday, Aug. 22, regarding potential updates to city ordinances related to snow disposal and removal.

The Streets Division staff conducted research in 2022 to explore potential modifications to the current Municipal Code, with a focus on mitigating issues arising from inappropriate snow removal activities on both private and commercial properties, according to a memo prepared for the City Council.

“When we did review the code, there’s nothing in our municipal code that addresses the proper manner to remove snow,” Solid Waste Division Manager Cynthia Langston said.

While several communities mandate snow removal from public sidewalks, the primary aim of the discussion was to highlight the impacts of improper snow disposal on streets, rights-of-way, and public spaces. The memo also proposes potential options for city ordinance updates.

The memo outlines that some commercial property owners or contractors remove snow from their premises and deposit it on public property, causing inconveniences to citizens, hindering the efforts of city snow removal crews and blocking the line of site for motorists.

“What do we do about those same elderly people and our mail carriers, and our people in wheelchairs and our handicapped that can’t traverse down the sidewalk because somebody hasn’t shoveled?” Mayor Bruce Knell asked.

Individuals in the community often use various motorized devices to clear snow from sidewalks and driveways, pushing the snow into gutters or contributing to snow piles in the streets. Both commercial entities and residents share the responsibility for this problem.

Improper snow disposal places an extra burden on city staff, disrupts snow melt and stormwater drainage processes and poses risks to pedestrians and motorists.

Langston emphasized that proper snow removal would be to place snow-obstructed sidewalks onto private property such as lawns rather than pushing snow out into the street or piling it on others’ property or walkways.

To address these concerns, Streets Division and Code Enforcement staff collaborated to offer potential changes to the current Municipal Code, aiming to tackle the issue of irresponsible snow removal practices on both commercial and residential properties.

Three potential updates to the Municipal Code have been proposed for council consideration:

Councilor Steve Cathey was against the new ordinance on snow removal.

“I will tell you right now that I will vote against an ordinance that forces people to shovel their sidewalks,” Cathey stated. “You have the people with health issues, you have the people with age issues, and then have them have to turn around and go down and apply for some kind of a permit to not have not have to shovel their sidewalks or force them to pay somebody is wrong.”

Councilor Kyle Gamroth echoed some of Cathey’s concerns.

“I know there’s elderly people, people with medical conditions and stuff, and it’s just difficult. They either can’t afford to pay somebody to come do it or they they are not physically able to do it themselves. So, I do want there to be some sort of due process, some sort of appeals process for folks that have these kind of extenuating circumstances,” Gamroth said.

City Council directed staff to pursue a draft ordinance that aligns with the current code used for unkept lawns and weeds, with Councilor Cathey voting against the direction.

Enforcement strategies would likely be “complaint-based,” with code enforcement staff assessing situations and taking appropriate actions based on evidence, including education and potentially escalating non-compliance fees.

Due to ongoing and extensive renovations at City Hall, the City Council met in The Lyric, 230 W. Yellowstone Highway, at 4:30 p.m. The session was open to the public. Those interested can watch a video of the work session on the City of Casper YouTube channel.