Who is responsible for clearing snow from the sidewalks in my neighborhood?
Neither the Virginia Department of Transportation nor Fairfax County clears snow and ice from public walkways… While not legally obligated, citizens and businesses are asked to help keep sidewalks safe. But State (and local) legislators were not comfortable relying solely on the common law and accordingly, laws have been put on the books dealing with snow removal. As discussed above, the District requires homeowners to “remove and clear away” the snow and sleet from their front sidewalk “within the first 8 hours of daylight after the ceasing to fall of any snow or sleet”. In both Maryland and Virginia, the state legislatures opted to leave this issue to the discretion of the local governments. In furtherance of this authority, the Montgomery County Council enacted an ordinance requiring that the person who “owns, leases, or manages… any walkway in the public right-of-way, to provide a pathway wide enough for safe pedestrian and wheelchair use.” In the Commonwealth of Virginia, coun
Neither the Virginia Department of Transportation nor Fairfax County clears snow and ice from public walkways (sidewalks and trails). While not legally obligated, citizens and businesses are asked to help keep sidewalks safe. They should, as soon as feasible, clear snow off the sidewalks in front of their property so that all pedestrians, especially school children, those with disabilities, and the elderly, may walk securely.
