Spokane Valley, WA Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Trigger depth
- Snow/ice exceeding 3 inches
- Deadline
- 48 hours after accumulation ends
- Required path width
- 36 inches minimum
- First offense
- Class 4 civil infraction
- Repeat (3rd+ in 12 months)
- Class 3 civil infraction
- Enforcement area
- Tier I priority areas only
Summary
Spokane Valley requires owners and occupants abutting a designated removal-area sidewalk to clear snow and ice over three inches deep within 48 hours after the snowfall stops, keeping a 36-inch path open for pedestrians under ADA standards.
The owner or occupant of any real property located within or along a removal area shall remove or cause to be removed all accumulations of snow and ice exceeding three inches from the sidewalks adjacent to the property so that a minimum 36-inch path for pedestrian travel is created pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, 42 U.S.C. §§ 12131 through 12164. Accumulations of snow and ice exceeding three inches shall be removed from the sidewalk within 48 hours after the event causing it to accumulate has ceased.
Full Breakdown
§§ 12131-12164. The 48-hour clock starts when the snow or ice event causing the accumulation has ceased, not when it began. 030(C)), so not every neighborhood is enforced yet. 040 when snow volume makes immediate removal impracticable; the amnesty notice must state the reason and an end date, and the manager can extend it. 030, though it does not create a separate misdemeanor charge; the City's own street plowing that pushes snow to street edges is expressly excluded from that rule. 070 if the violator is 65 or older, has a doctor-verified physical disability preventing removal, or can document a failed good-faith attempt to hire snow removal help.
Violations & Fines
A first violation of § 7.45.030 is a Class 4 civil infraction under RCW 7.80.120, with 48 more hours to clear the walk before a second citation can issue. A third violation of § 7.45.030 within any 12-month period, and every violation after that in the same 12 months, escalates to a Class 3 civil infraction with higher monetary penalties plus statutory assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much snow triggers the Spokane Valley sidewalk clearing duty?
How long do I have to clear the sidewalk after it snows?
Is there a defense if I'm elderly or disabled?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane Valley
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