Lakeville, MN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Lakeville City Code section 7-3-8 states its purpose is to require owners or occupants of real property to maintain public sidewalks abutting their property so the walks do not become a public nuisance affecting the safety of the general public. Subsection B makes it unlawful for the owner or occupant to fail to remove snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property within 48 hours after the snow or ice has been deposited; the clock starts when the snowfall or icing event ends. If a property stays out of compliance, subsection C lets the city step in: after giving the owner or occupant two days' advance written notice of noncompliance, the city may send crews to remove the snow or ice itself and then assess the cost against the property under Minnesota Statutes section 429.101, the same special-assessment mechanism the city uses for street lighting and utility charges, meaning the bill can be added to the property's tax rolls rather than sent as an invoice.

Subsection D sets the penalty: any person who violates the section is guilty of a petty misdemeanor, punishable by a fine of up to $100, and a separate violation occurs for each day the noncompliance continues, so a walk left uncleared for a week can generate multiple counts. The duty runs to whoever occupies the property, whether owner or tenant, and covers every public sidewalk abutting the parcel, including corner lots with frontage on two streets.