Colorado Springs, CO Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Residential deadline
- 24 hours after snowfall stops
- Commercial deadline
- 5:00 PM next business day
- "Termination of falling snow"
- Snowfall gap exceeding 4 hours
- Legal standard for violation
- Negligence per se (§ 3.4.202.B)
- Unremoved snow
- City removes and bills owner (§ 3.4.203)
- Max criminal penalty
- $2,500 fine and/or 189 days jail per § 1.1.201
Summary
Colorado Springs gives residential property owners 24 hours after snowfall stops to clear sidewalk snow and ice, and commercial property owners until 5:00 PM the next business day; missing the deadline lets the City remove it and bill the owner.
A. It shall be unlawful for the owner to permit snow or ice or both to remain on the sidewalk which abuts the real property... at any time after: 1. For residential property, twenty four (24) hours after the termination of the falling snow. 2. For commercial property, five o'clock (5:00) P.M. the next business day following termination of the falling snow. B. This section imposes an affirmative duty to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks to protect public safety. Violation of this duty shall constitute negligence per se and an unlawful act, subjecting the violator to civil liability for any injury proximately caused by the violation, civil liability for the costs of removal and criminal prosecution.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2026 S-21: Code current through: Ord. 26-23, passed June 9, 2026).
Full Breakdown
the next business day following termination of falling snow. Subsection C defines "termination of falling snow" as a cessation of snowfall exceeding 4 hours, and "business day" as Monday through Friday excluding federal, state, and city holidays, so a storm that keeps snowing intermittently doesn't start the clock until a 4-hour gap occurs. Subsection B goes further than a simple duty to shovel: it declares the removal duty "affirmative," and states that violating it "shall constitute negligence per se and an unlawful act," exposing the owner to civil liability for any injury the unremoved snow or ice causes, civil liability for the City's removal costs, and criminal prosecution, all three can apply at once. 204, the City compiles unpaid snow-removal bills at least annually and assesses them against the property per the Tax Code. "
Violations & Fines
Owners who miss the 24-hour (residential) or next-business-day-5PM (commercial) deadline face City removal with the cost billed to them, plus exposure to negligence-per-se civil liability for any resulting injury. Section 3.4.206 confirms billing doesn't preclude prosecution: a Code violation conviction draws the general penalty under § 1.1.201, up to a $2,500 fine, up to 189 days in jail, or both, with each day of continued violation a separate offense.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to shovel my sidewalk after it snows in Colorado Springs?
What happens if I don't clear my sidewalk in time?
Can I be sued if someone slips on my uncleared sidewalk?
Is paying the City's snow removal bill the end of it?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Colorado Springs
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