ANNAPOLIS, Md. — The city of Annapolis has temporarily suspended enforcement of its sidewalk clearing code for residents as cleanup continues from the recent snowstorm that quickly turned to ice, making removal extremely challenging.
WATCH: Annapolis pauses sidewalk snow fines amid icy storm
Last summer, Annapolis adopted updated sidewalk clearing legislation that allows the city to impose a $100 fine on property owners who do not clear snow from sidewalks near their homes within three hours of snowfall ending. However, this storm's icy conditions prompted officials to postpone the penalties.
"I think I had first heard that there was going to be a penalty if people don't include their sidewalks. Fortunately, I don't have a sidewalk, but once I learned that, I started to think, yeah, I know I better get out there and clean it up because I don't want to get fined," Adam Petty said.
The storm quickly turned to ice, making it difficult for many residents to comply with the enforcement requirements.
"I was surprised being that it's a new policy to add in this fine till I go back on it, but give us a chance to be human. I mean, our neighbors are in their 70s and 80s, and we've been trying to help them with their sidewalk. It's tough, and the only reason why ours is clear is because we started it a few like during the actual storm," Madeleine Friddle said.
Madeleine and Hayes Friddle got a head start on clearing their property and sidewalk, but they say if they had not started as early as they did, they would not have been able to clear the snow so easily.
Residents aren't the only ones battling the icy conditions. City crews are also struggling with the challenging weather.
"Watching the salt and plow trucks go by, you know they're having a tough time getting a lot of this stuff up too, so I think they are recognizing from their own workers how hard
this is," Hayes Friddle said.
Because of the ice, Petty says it has taken longer to move the snow than before. He says he has spent the last two days just clearing his driveway.
"I think I can probably get my car out today, but honestly, that is a lot of work to do, so maybe if it's not today, then it's tomorrow," Petty said.
The city of Annapolis is in phase three of its snow emergency and expects to have all streets safe and passable by Saturday.
While property owners won't be seeing fines anytime soon, commercial properties and multi-family residential properties are still subject to fines for snow-filled sidewalks.
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