Broome County, NY Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)

Binghamton City Code Ch. 365 (Streets and Sidewalks) imposes an affirmative duty on property owners and occupants to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks abutting their property within 24 hours after snowfall ends. Clearance must be to the full width of the walk or at least 3 ft passable. Ice that cannot be removed must be treated with sand, ash, or ice-melt. When owners fail to comply, the city may cause the work to be done and bill the owner, with unpaid charges becoming a tax lien under NY Municipal Home Rule Law. Village of Johnson City Code and Village of Endicott Code have parallel requirements, often with 12-24 hour windows. Town of Vestal and Town of Union, with fewer continuous sidewalk networks, generally require clearing where sidewalks exist, typically within 24 hours. Slip-and-fall liability for property owners is governed by common-law negligence and the NY storm-in-progress doctrine (no duty until reasonable time after storm ends); prior written notice rules (General Municipal Law §50-e) typically protect the city for sidewalk defects.