Ridgewood, NJ Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- General deadline
- 24 hours after snowfall
- CBD zones
- B-1, B-2, P, P-2: cleared same-storm
- Evening storm cutoff
- cleared by 9 a.m. next day
- CBD sidewalk width
- 5-foot minimum during business hours
- Village self-help
- cost becomes a tax lien
Summary
Village of Ridgewood Code Section 249-1 gives most property owners 24 hours after snow or ice falls to clear their abutting sidewalk. Central Business District properties in the B-1, B-2, P, and P-2 Zones face a stricter same-storm clearing rule with fixed morning deadlines. The Village can do the work itself and bill the owner.
The owner of any land abutting upon the streets or public highways in the Village, if such land is owner-occupied or vacant, otherwise the tenant or occupant of such land situate in all zones of the Village of Ridgewood as shown on the 1990 Zoning Map, with the exception of the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 Zones of the Village, shall remove all snow and ice from the abutting sidewalks of such streets or highways within 24 hours after the same shall fall or be formed thereon. ... Snow is required to be removed in the B-1, B-2, P and P-2 Zone Districts from the sidewalks concurrently with its fall. ... Snowfalls commencing during the evening, that is, after 6:00 p.m., will be cleared by no later than 9:00 a.m. the following morning, Sundays and holidays included.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4854397; v35 updated 2026-04-22; through 04-22-2026).
Full Breakdown
Section 249-1(A) requires the owner of any owner-occupied or vacant land abutting a Village street, or the tenant or occupant of other land, in every zone except B-1, B-2, P, and P-2, to remove all snow and ice from the abutting sidewalk within 24 hours after it falls or forms, and bars dumping the cleared snow into the street where it would block traffic. and on Sundays and holidays, the sidewalk must be cleared completely into the street. Subsection D requires a mandatory court appearance to answer a summons for a violation in the business zones, and for a second or later violation anywhere in the Village.
If an owner or tenant refuses or neglects to clear snow, ice, grass, or weeds within the required time, Section 249-3 lets the Village do the removal itself, certify the cost to the Village Manager, and place that cost as a lien and tax on the property, collected the same way as other property taxes.
Violations & Fines
A first violation outside the business zones is handled by summons under the Village's general penalty schedule; any violation inside the B-1, B-2, P, or P-2 Zones, and any second or subsequent violation anywhere in the Village, requires a mandatory court appearance under Section 249-1(D). Unpaid Village-performed removal costs become a lien against the property under Section 249-3.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long do I have to clear snow from my Ridgewood sidewalk?
What is the snow removal rule for Ridgewood's downtown business zone?
What happens if I never clear my sidewalk in Ridgewood?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Ridgewood
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