Bloomington, IL Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)

Section 38-229 applies only within the central business district, the area § 38-228 defines by a chain of downtown street boundaries running from Locust and Roosevelt Streets around through Douglas, Gridley, Jefferson, McLean, Front, Olive, Jackson, Main, Center, Lee, Oak and Monroe Streets to Madison Street. Inside that area, every owner and occupant of a building or lot fronting or abutting a paved sidewalk must remove snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of or abutting their property within four business hours after a snowfall, sleet or freezing rain stops, or by the start of business hours the next business day, whichever period is shorter.

on any day that is not a Sunday or a national or state holiday, so overnight snow generally must be cleared by mid-afternoon the same business day. When snow or ice has frozen too hard to remove without damaging the sidewalk, Subsection B lets the responsible owner or occupant spread sand or another abrasive within that same window instead, then finish the full cleanup as soon as the weather allows. Section 38-230 makes the ordinance's purpose explicit: it exists to protect downtown pedestrians, and a failure to clear the walk is treated as prima facie negligence, giving an injured pedestrian a direct claim against the owner and occupant, who are jointly and severally liable for the resulting damages.