Rochester, MN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Snow/ice/debris deadline
- 24 hours after deposit
- Enforcement
- Administrative citation, ch. 1-2
- Repair option
- Owner may hire licensed contractor w/ permit
- Unpaid repair cost
- Certified to county auditor with taxes
- City removal
- DPW may remove after 24 hrs, bills owner
Summary
Property owners and occupants adjoining a public sidewalk in Rochester must keep it clear of snow, ice, dirt and rubbish within 24 hours, and once the city marks a hazardous section, the owner must maintain the hazard markings or repair the walk under a permit; unresolved hazards get fixed by the city and billed to the owner.
(a)All snow, ice, dirt and rubbish remaining on a public sidewalk or pedestrian ramp more than 24 hours after its deposit thereon is a public nuisance. The owner and the occupant of any property adjacent to a public sidewalk or pedestrian ramp shall use due diligence to keep such walk safe for pedestrians. No such owner or occupant shall allow snow, ice, dirt or rubbish to remain on the sidewalk or pedestrian ramp longer than 24 hours after its deposit thereon.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 8 Update 1).
Full Breakdown
Rochester City Code § 9-6-2(a) makes it a public nuisance to leave snow, ice, dirt or rubbish on a public sidewalk or pedestrian ramp more than 24 hours after it lands there, and requires the owner and occupant of the adjoining property to use due diligence to keep the walk safe for pedestrians. Under § 9-6-4, the director of public works inspects sidewalks citywide and physically marks any portion abutting private property found unsafe. 1, or the owner may instead elect to repair or replace the sidewalk at the owner's own expense using a licensed contractor under a permit issued through chapter 9-5.
If the owner does not act, § 9-6-6 lets the director of public works make the repair directly or by contract, and § 9-6-7 makes the owner personally liable for the actual cost of that work, billed by the city clerk and due immediately on receipt. Unpaid charges are certified to the county auditor and collected the following year with property taxes under § 9-6-8, following the notice, hearing and appeal procedures of Minn. ch. 429; on appeal, the only issue a court will decide is whether the charge was reasonable.
The city's own crews may also remove snow, ice, dirt or rubbish beginning 24 hours after it is deposited, per § 9-6-3, again billing the abutting owner for the cost.
Violations & Fines
A violation of the 24-hour snow, ice and rubbish rule in § 9-6-2 can draw an administrative citation under chapter 1-2, since sidewalk maintenance under § 9-6-2 is listed among the code's administrative offenses in § 1-2-3(13); civil fines follow the council's adopted fine schedule and can become a lien on the property if unpaid. Repair costs recovered under §§ 9-6-7 and 9-6-8 are separate from and in addition to any citation fine, and unpaid repair bills are certified to the county auditor for collection with property taxes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for clearing snow from a sidewalk in Rochester, MN?
Who pays to actually repair a broken sidewalk slab?
What happens if I don't pay the city's sidewalk repair bill?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Rochester
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