York resident Dejour Hughes had quite the wake up call Monday morning.
"My wife told me, because I work night shift so I just woke up and she said, 'before you go get ready can you come out here and shovel'," Hughes said.
The Property Maintenance Code in York requires all sidewalks be cleared of snow, with at least a three foot wide path. If the sidewalk is too narrow, then it must be shoveled enough so one person can pass at a time.
"I expect we'll probably be issuing some tickets for un-shoveled sidewalks because it isn't going to melt so quickly," Steve Buffington, Deputy Director of permits, planning, and zoning, said.
The other important thing is that is to be done within 12 hours of the last snowfall. It's an ordinance Dejour knows all too well.
"I'm definitely familiar with that," Hughes said. "Last time it snowed we got a fine because I'm away all the time, so when I came home there was a bunch of snow still out on the sidewalk and my brother was working so we got fined for it, so I know it wasn't that much but I know it was enough for me to come out here today and do it."
That fine can be as low as $25 or as high as $300, depending on previous violations. But what if you're elderly, or can't shovel for some reason? The City said they are hoping neighbors, will be good neighbors.
Like Lakin Frey, whose shoveling for an elderly friend.
"I mean, they don't wanna come out and shovel so, I get it but, at the same point it is kinda ridiculous to fine people for it," Frey said.
"Most of the children in the York City School Districts walk," Buffington said. "We have gotten several complaints where people have fallen and hurt themselves."
As for Dejour;
"I hate it, I hate shoveling, I hate putting salt down, I hate living in cold weather," Hughes said. "I just hate it all, but, you gotta do what you gotta do though."
Technically residents needs to have their sidewalks shoveled by 8 pm Monday night. The City is trying to be helpful. An inspector won't be out until 8 a.m. Tuesday morning.
And as a reminder, folks cannot reserve parking spots with cones, chairs, or any other objects. The minimum fine for that is 100 dollars.
