El Paso County, CO Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)

Colorado Springs City Code §3.2.103 requires owners and occupants of property abutting public sidewalks to remove snow, ice, and sleet within 24 hours after snowfall ceases. Requirement applies year-round but most relevant October-April. Minimum cleared width: 36 inches (48 inches in downtown commercial districts). Ice that cannot be removed must be treated with sand, calcium chloride, or magnesium chloride de-icer. Corner lot owners must clear curb ramps for ADA compliance — the Department of Justice ADA technical assistance highlights corner accessibility. Snow may not be plowed into the street or onto neighbors' property. Colorado Springs Public Works handles street plowing on priority routes; residential streets last. Pikes Peak region receives average 40-50 inches annual snow — higher elevations (Black Forest, Monument) see 75-100+ inches. Major blizzards (March 2003, December 2006, March 2021) stress enforcement. Elderly/disabled residents may qualify for volunteer shoveling through the Senior Resource Council and Colorado Springs Fire Department. Businesses along Tejon, downtown, Old Colorado City, and Manitou Avenue face stricter 2-hour clearance standards. El Paso County unincorporated has virtually no public sidewalks — most roads are rural or suburban cul-de-sacs without pedestrian infrastructure.