Springfield, MA Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)
Key Facts
- Deadline
- 24 hours after snow/ice stops
- Covers
- sidewalks, hydrants, curb cuts
- Primary duty
- tenant/occupant, then owner
- Ice rule
- remove or sand within 24 hrs
Summary
Springfield, Massachusetts property owners and tenants must clear sidewalk snow and ice within 24 hours of a storm ending, including around fire hydrants and curb cuts, or make the walk safe by sanding.
The tenants or occupants of any single parcel of real estate which contains only one rental or dwelling unit and, in case there is more than one rental or dwelling unit on a parcel, or where there is no tenant or occupant, the owner or person having the care of any real estate abutting upon any street, avenue, lane, court or square within the City, where there is a sidewalk, fire hydrant or a curb cut shall, after any snow or ice ceases to fall thereon, within 24 hours cause the same to be removed therefrom.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4680006; v21 updated 2025-12-15; through 12-15-2025).
Full Breakdown
Chapter 322 of the Springfield City Code puts the removal duty on the tenant or occupant of a single-unit parcel; if there are multiple units, or no tenant, the duty shifts to the owner or person caring for the property. The 24-hour clock covers sidewalks, fire hydrants and curb cuts, and separately applies to snow that slides or drifts onto a walk from a building (§ 322-2) and to ice that must be removed or sanded (§ 322-3). This is Springfield, Hampden County ordinance text; Hampden County government was abolished in 1998, so there is no county sidewalk rule layered on top.
Violations & Fines
Chapter 322 does not write a fixed dollar fine into § 322-1 itself; the City enforces the removal duty through Code Enforcement and the Building Commissioner, who can separately order snow cleared from roofs endangering the sidewalk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to shovel the sidewalk at a Springfield, MA rental property?
Does Springfield require sanding, not just shoveling, for icy sidewalks?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Springfield
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