Arvada, CO Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Deadline
- 24 hours after snow/ice ends
- Commercial/multi-family duty
- Owner or owner's agent
- 1-2 family duty
- Occupant, or owner if vacant
- Covers
- Sidewalks, driveways, stairs, parking areas
- Max fine
- $2,650 per offense (Code § 1-5)
Summary
Arvada gives property owners and occupants 24 hours after any snowfall or ice storm ends to clear sidewalks of snow, ice, and slush. Commercial and multi-family owners bear the duty for their frontage; occupants of one- and two-family homes are responsible for their own sidewalks. The rule reaches driveways, exterior stairs, and parking areas too.
"302.3.3. Snow removal generally. The owner of any premises other than a one- or two-family dwelling unit, or agent thereof, shall remove from sidewalk and sidewalk areas snow, ice, or slush within 24 hours of the end of any snow fall or ice storm. For purposes of enforcement of this section 302.3.3, "sidewalk" means that portion of a street between the curb lines or the lateral lines of a roadway and the adjacent property lines intended for the use of pedestrians. It also includes all other walkways where ever they may be located on the property, exterior stairs, driveways, parking spaces and similar areas. 302.3.3.1. Snow removal for one- or two-family dwelling units. The occupant, or if none, the owner of any one- or two-family dwelling unit shall remove from sidewalks, snow, ice, or slush within 24 hours of the end of any snow fall or ice storm."
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: City Council Policy Manual: Supplement 1 | Code of Ordinances: Supplement 67).
Full Breakdown
3) splits the snow-removal duty by property type. For any premises other than a one- or two-family dwelling, the owner or the owner's agent must clear sidewalk and sidewalk areas of snow, ice, or slush within 24 hours of the end of any snowfall or ice storm. 1, shifts the duty for one- and two-family dwellings to the occupant, or the owner if there is no occupant, on the same 24-hour clock. The code defines 'sidewalk' broadly for enforcement purposes: it is not just the walk between curb and property line, but 'all other walkways where ever they may be located on the property, exterior stairs, driveways, parking spaces and similar areas,' so a business that clears its public frontage but leaves an icy parking lot has not satisfied the section.
2), that separately bars letting plant growth obstruct or encroach on streets and sidewalks. Both provisions were added to Chapter 18, Article XI by Ordinance No. amendments, and both are enforced by the same code compliance officers who handle the rest of the property maintenance code.
Violations & Fines
Snow removal violations run through the citywide general penalty at Code § 1-5: a fine up to $2,650.00, imprisonment up to 364 days, or both, for an adult convicted in Arvada Municipal Court, with continuing noncompliance charged as a new offense each day the walk stays uncleared. Code compliance typically documents the violation against the 24-hour window before issuing a citation.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon must I clear snow from my Arvada sidewalk?
Who is responsible for snow removal at a rental home?
Does the snow rule cover my driveway and parking lot too?
What's the penalty for not clearing snow in time?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Arvada
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Snow & Sidewalk Clearing in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Jefferson County handle snow & sidewalk clearing.