Wausau, WI Property Maintenance: Snow & Sidewalk Clearing (2026)

050 places the snow-clearing duty directly on the property owner: the owner of property abutting any sidewalk must keep it clean and free of debris, dirt, sweepings, obstructions, and "clear of snow and ice" without the City having to give notice first, and at all times, not merely after a storm. 060(b) supplies the enforcement mechanism: if an owner fails or neglects to keep the sidewalk clear, the City may clear it directly, and the employee assigned Sidewalk Inspector duties may, but is not required to, warn the owner before the City acts.

The cost of that City-performed clearing is charged as a special tax against the property and collected the same way as any other real estate tax, so an owner who never removes snow can end up paying through the annual tax bill rather than a separate citation. 030 lets the City remove snow or ice an owner refuses to clear after an inspector's order and bill the owner directly, with unpaid charges added to the tax roll as delinquent taxes. These sections implement the City's authority under Wis. 0907(5), which lets Wisconsin cities require abutting owners to keep sidewalks clear of snow and ice.