Snow clearing is a city rule, not a county one. In the City of Yakima, the owner or occupant next to a public sidewalk must clear snow and ice by 9 a.m. after snowfall.
Yakima County's rural, unincorporated areas impose no general sidewalk snow-clearing duty on abutting owners. Inside the City of Yakima, municipal code Chapter 8.88 makes the owner or occupant of property adjacent to a public sidewalk responsible for removing snow and ice near the primary entrance, with a reasonable effort required by 9:00 a.m. each day after snowfall. Where ice cannot practically be removed, the owner must spread sand or other suitable material so the walk can be used safely. Eastern Washington winters bring real snow and ice to Yakima, unlike the milder western side, so the duty matters here.
In the City of Yakima, failing to clear an abutting sidewalk can bring a code-compliance notice, and the city may clear it and bill the owner. Negligent non-clearance also creates slip-and-fall liability.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Yakima County, WA
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Yakima County, WA
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See how Yakima County's snow & sidewalk clearing rules stack up against other locations.
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