Salem, OR Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- SRC 78.220, Duty to keep sidewalks safe, clean
- Duty holders
- Owners, lessees, and occupants abutting the sidewalk
- Covers
- Ice, snow, dirt, vegetation, debris, obstructions
- Enforcement path
- Director notice and order, then SRC 78.300
- Owner liability
- Liable for injuries from a breach of the duty
Summary
Salem requires owners, lessees, and occupants of property abutting a sidewalk to keep it clean and clear of ice, snow, dirt, vegetation, debris, or obstructions at all times, and makes them liable for injuries caused by a breach of that duty.
Sec. 78.220. - Duty of property owners to keep sidewalks safe, clean, etc. (a)It shall be the duty of the owners, lessees, and occupants of all property abutting upon or adjacent to any sidewalk to keep such sidewalk clean and clear of ice, snow, dirt, vegetation, debris, or obstructions for the safe use of the public at all times.(b)The owners, lessees, and occupants shall be liable to any person suffering bodily injuries or property damage as a result of any breach of a duty imposed under subsection (a) of this section.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 26 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
220 of the Salem Revised Code places an ongoing duty on the owners, lessees, and occupants of property abutting or adjacent to any sidewalk to keep that sidewalk clean and clear of ice, snow, dirt, vegetation, debris, or obstructions for the public's safe use at all times; the code does not set a fixed number of hours after a snowfall, but the duty is continuous rather than tied to a single storm event. Subsection (b) makes the owner, lessee, or occupant liable to any person who suffers bodily injury or property damage as a result of a breach of that clearing duty.
220(a) duty, and subsection (d) shields the City and its officers and employees from liability to anyone who has a remedy against the owner under subsection (b). 300, which authorizes the City to perform the work itself and place the cost, plus a ten percent administrative surcharge, as a lien on the property, in addition to a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation with each day of continued noncompliance a separate violation.
Violations & Fines
Neglecting to clear ice, snow, dirt, vegetation, debris, or obstructions after a Director notice and order is an infraction under SRC 78.310, and the City may proceed under SRC 78.300 to perform the clearing itself, billing the owner the cost plus a ten percent administrative surcharge as a property lien, alongside a civil penalty of up to $2,000 per violation for continued noncompliance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How soon after it snows must I clear my Salem sidewalk?
What happens if the City has to clear my sidewalk itself?
Am I liable if someone slips on ice on the sidewalk in front of my Salem rental?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Salem
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