Kirkland, WA Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty holder
- Abutting property owner
- Governing section
- KMC 19.20.020
- Standard
- Sidewalk safe 'at all times,' ice/snow named
- Enforcement path
- Notice and order under KMC 1.12.040
- Fine schedule
- $100-$500 per day of noncompliance
Summary
Kirkland puts sidewalk snow and ice removal on the abutting property owner, not the city. KMC 19.20.020 requires the owner to keep the sidewalk safe 'at all times,' naming ice and snow specifically, and lets the city pursue it as a civil code violation with escalating daily fines.
It shall be the responsibility of the owner of property abutting upon a public sidewalk to maintain the sidewalk at all times in a safe condition, free of any and all obstructions or defects, including but not limited to ice and snow.
Official source re-checked September 8, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: current through Ordinance 4945, passed July 21, 2026).
Full Breakdown
020 states it is the responsibility of the owner of property abutting a public sidewalk to maintain it at all times in a safe condition, free of any and all obstructions or defects, including but not limited to ice and snow. The code does not set a fixed hour count (like '24 hours after snowfall'); the duty is continuous, so an owner is out of compliance for as long as accumulated ice or snow makes the sidewalk unsafe. 12. 060. 010 confirm 'sidewalk' covers the improved area between the street margin and the roadway.
Violations & Fines
Snow or ice left on an abutting sidewalk is a civil violation under Chapter 1.12. Fines run $100 per day for days 1 through 15 of noncompliance, $250 per day for days 16 through 30, and $500 per day from day 31 onward, capped at $50,000 per violation, and the city may add abatement costs if it clears the hazard itself. Owners can appeal a notice and order to the hearing examiner within 21 calendar days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Kirkland set a deadline in hours to clear snow off my sidewalk?
Who is responsible for snow removal on a Kirkland sidewalk, the city or the homeowner?
What fines apply if I don't clear ice or snow?
Can the city clear my sidewalk and bill me?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kirkland
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Snow & Sidewalk Clearing in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle snow & sidewalk clearing.