Elyria, OH Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must clear
- Owner or occupant of land abutting the sidewalk
- Deadline
- Reasonable time, ordinarily not over 12 hours after the storm
- Areas covered
- Sidewalks, curbs and gutters
- Penalty
- Minor misdemeanor
- Code section
- Elyria Codified Ordinances § 521.06
Summary
In the City of Elyria, Ohio, § 521.06 requires the owner or occupant of land abutting a sidewalk, curb or gutter to remove all snow and ice within a reasonable time, which will ordinarily not exceed 12 hours after the storm during which it accumulated. A violation is a minor misdemeanor.
... and to remove from such sidewalks, curbs or gutters all snow and ice accumulated thereon within a reasonable time, which will ordinarily not exceed 12 hours after any storm during which the snow and ice has accumulated. (ORC 723.011) (b) Whoever violates this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
Full Breakdown
The snow rule is part of the duty in § 521.06 of the Elyria General Offenses Code, enacted by the Elyria City Council in Lorain County, Ohio. The duty falls on the owner or occupant of lots or lands abutting any sidewalk, curb or gutter. Because the text says owner or occupant, a tenant in possession and the property owner both carry the obligation, and the code does not shift it to the city.
The deadline is written as a reasonable time for removing all snow and ice accumulated on the sidewalks, curbs or gutters, which will ordinarily not exceed 12 hours after any storm during which the snow and ice has accumulated. The clock runs from the storm, not from the moment a neighbor complains or an inspector arrives. The rule covers the sidewalk, the curb and the gutter, so clearing only the walking path does not complete the job where snow is piled on the curb or in the gutter.
The same division also requires the owner or occupant to keep the sidewalks, curbs and gutters free from ice and snow and from any nuisance, so a sidewalk cleared once but allowed to refreeze remains a problem. The section carries the notation of Ohio R.C. 723.011 beneath division (a).
The penalty is in division (b): whoever violates the section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. Chapter 521 also holds a public nuisance procedure in § 521.10, which uses a notice to abate and allows the city to abate a nuisance and certify its costs to the County Auditor for the tax duplicate, but § 521.06 itself prints only the minor misdemeanor classification and no dollar fine. For sidewalk repair duties under the same section, see the separate repair page.
Violations & Fines
Under § 521.06(b), failing to clear snow and ice within the reasonable time is a minor misdemeanor. The code ties the ordinary outer limit to 12 hours after the storm in which the snow and ice accumulated. The section prints no fine amount, so the offense level is the penalty stated in the ordinance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast must I clear snow from the sidewalk in Elyria?
Who is responsible if I rent my property in Elyria?
Is ice covered as well as snow?
What is the penalty for not shoveling in Elyria?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Elyria
Compare Elyria to another location·View the Ohio property maintenance overview
See something wrong?
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.