Winter Snow Removal Laws by City (2026)

Fewest Restrictions

1. 1
   San Mateo County, CANot specified

   Snow sidewalk clearing is not a regular concern in unincorporated San Mateo County's Mediterranean coastal climate, and the County has no dedicated snow-clearance ordinance. On the rare occasions of snow at Skyline Ridge or upper La Honda/Kings Mountain elevations, Caltrans clears State Routes 35, 84, and 92, while property owners are generally responsible for keeping their own driveways and sidewalks (where they exist) passable. Streets & Highways Code §§5610-5618 gives local agencies general authority over abutting-property sidewalk maintenance.

2. 2
   Sacramento County, CA

   Snow is extremely rare in the Sacramento Valley. No county sidewalk snow removal ordinance exists. Owners must keep sidewalks free of debris and hazards under Streets and Highways Code 5610.

3. 3
   Vacaville, CA

   Vacaville is a low-elevation Solano County city that does not experience meaningful snowfall, and the Vacaville Municipal Code does not impose a snow- or ice-removal duty on adjacent property owners. California Streets and Highways Code §5610 makes the abutting property owner responsible for maintaining the sidewalk in a safe condition. Vacaville follows the long-standing California rule that the City does the structural sidewalk repair work in many cases, while owners are liable for hazardous conditions they create.

4. 4
   Clarksville, TN

   No Clarksville ordinance requires you to clear snow or ice from a public sidewalk. The charter grants that power but the council never used it. Section 12-124 puts sidewalk maintenance and repair on the city, not the abutting owner.

5. 5
   Riverside County, CA

   Unincorporated Riverside County has no ordinance requiring property owners to clear snow from sidewalks. Most of the county is low-desert and inland valley where measurable snow is rare; the few mountain communities such as Idyllwild, Pine Cove, and Anza receive occasional snow but the county imposes no mandatory clearance rule on adjacent property owners.

6. 6
   Brownsville, TX

   Brownsville sits at the southern tip of Texas and has no snow-removal ordinance. Sidewalk duty here covers litter and vegetation: keep the walk in front of your property clear of litter and mow the strip out to the street edge.

7. 7
   Fayetteville, NC

   Fayetteville imposes no sidewalk snow or ice removal duty. The city code contains no snow-clearing requirement at all. Instead, Section 24-19 makes the abutting owner or occupant responsible for keeping the sidewalk in good repair and free of vegetation year-round.

8. 8
   Overland Park, KS

   Overland Park has no ordinance requiring property owners to clear snow or ice from public sidewalks. The City asks residents to shovel voluntarily. Owners remain legally responsible for sidewalk maintenance and repair year-round.

9. 9
   San Bernardino, CA

   San Bernardino rarely sees snow, so there is no shoveling ordinance. Owners are still responsible under Streets and Highways Code 5610 for keeping the abutting sidewalk safe and clear of debris and tripping hazards.

10. 10
    St. Louis County, MO

    St. Louis County does not impose a private snow-removal mandate on homeowners. County plows clear arterial and collector roads first; subdivision roads should be addressed within 24 hours of storm end. Residents are asked to park off streets during storms.