Greenwich, CT Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Responsible party
- Abutting owner, tenant or occupant
- Clearing deadline
- 18 hours after snow/ice forms
- Safety measure
- Sand, ashes or salt required
- Fine
- $25 per violation
- Added cost
- Reimburse Town's removal expense
Summary
Owners, tenants and occupants of Town of Greenwich property abutting a sidewalk must keep it free of snow and ice within eighteen hours under Code of Ordinances Sec. 11-7, and a violator is fined twenty-five dollars and billed for the Town's removal cost.
(a)All owners, tenants and occupants of land or buildings adjoining which there has been constructed a sidewalk shall at all times keep the sidewalk free from snow and ice.(b)All snow and ice shall be removed as soon as possible and not later than eighteen (18) hours after the fall of the snow or the formation of the ice.(c)All sidewalks upon which there shall be any snow and/or ice shall be kept in safe condition by spreading thereon sand, ashes, salt or other similar material.(d)Any person who fails to comply with the provisions of this section shall be fined twenty-five dollars ($25.) and shall reimburse the town for the expense of removal and/or expense of keeping the sidewalk in a safe condition.
Full Breakdown
Sec. 11-7 of Chapter 11, Article 2 (Snow and Ice Removal) puts the maintenance duty for a Town sidewalk on the owners, tenants and occupants of the adjoining land or building rather than leaving it solely to Town crews. Subsection (a) requires them to keep the sidewalk free from snow and ice at all times, and subsection (b) sets an eighteen-hour clock running from the end of the snowfall or ice formation for that clearing to happen. Subsection (c) goes further than bare removal: any remaining snow or ice must be made safe by spreading sand, ashes, salt or a similar material so pedestrians are not exposed to a slick surface even before it fully melts.
The same Article backs up other sidewalk conditions nearby: Sec. 11-3 bars anyone from obstructing a sidewalk or gutter with goods or displays without the Chief of Police's consent, and Sec. 11-4 forbids an owner or occupant from letting roof, porch or balcony water drip onto a sidewalk. If an abutting owner, tenant or occupant fails to clear snow or ice within the eighteen-hour window or fails to sand or salt a slippery walk, subsection (d) both fines the person and shifts the Town's cleanup cost onto them, so a resident who ignores the duty can be billed twice: once for the fine and again for the labor the Town performs in their place.
Violations & Fines
Under Sec. 11-7(d), failing to clear a sidewalk of snow or ice within eighteen hours, or failing to keep it in safe condition with sand, ashes or salt, draws a twenty-five dollar fine and requires the responsible owner, tenant or occupant to reimburse the Town for the expense of removing the hazard or keeping the sidewalk safe in their place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to shovel the sidewalk in front of a Greenwich home?
How fast must snow be cleared from a Greenwich sidewalk?
What is the fine for not clearing a sidewalk?
Can I block the sidewalk with a sign or display?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Greenwich
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