Lower Paxton, PA Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)

Section 196-31 of the Lower Paxton Township Code puts the sidewalk duty on a wide group: the property owner, a tenant, an agent in charge, or any occupier of property within the Township. The duty covers the sidewalks in front of and along the property and extends to all snow, ice, slush or other matter, not just snow. The deadline is 24 hours after snow has ceased falling, and the cleared path must allow free passage of pedestrians for a width of at least 36 inches.

The deadline is not fixed during a declared emergency. Under § 196-28 the Township Manager or a designee can declare a snow emergency when snow or ice on streets causes or will cause serious traffic congestion, and § 196-31 provides that the sidewalk section tolls for the period in which a snow emergency has been declared.

Where the snow goes is regulated too. Section 196-30 provides that during snow removal from sidewalks, driveways or other areas, no firm, person or corporation can place, throw or block snow, ice, slush or other matter onto or in a public street, alley or other publicly maintained property. A shoveled sidewalk that pushes the pile into the road is therefore a separate violation.

Private fire lanes carry their own, stricter winter duty. Under § 196-23(D), fire lanes on private property must be kept clear of snow, ice and other matter at the owner's expense and cleared within 24 hours after snow has ceased falling, and § 196-23(F)(4) makes it unlawful to obstruct or restrict access to a fire lane in Lower Paxton Township, with snow named as an obstruction. The Township can also plow and spread antiskid material on certain alleys listed in Attachment A under § 196-32 during a declared emergency or after six inches of accumulation.