LAYTON, Utah (ABC 4 News) - With several more inches of snow expected overnight along the Wasatch front, residents and business owners are being reminded about the laws that require sidewalks to be clear.
Sgt. Paul Gardiner heads up the code enforcement division in Layton. He said, "Some people just don't know that it's against the law."
The city code states after a snow storm, home and business owners have 12 hours to have their sidewalks cleared of snow.
Sgt. Gardiner said, "You may think it's trivial at times, but it can create a hazard. When people don't clear off the sidewalks it forces people, especially young children who are walking to the bus stop or to school, forces them to walk in the road."
So Sgt. Gardiner and his team keep an eye out for those impassible walkways and sometimes they're tipped off by the public.
"In fact just yesterday a lady called me about a sidewalk in front of a bunch of apartment buildings," said Gardiner. "I contacted the owner of the apartment building and he said he'd get a crew to come out there to clear it off. I think maybe I'll just go drive back there to see if he's done that."
Turns out when we arrived there was a crew out shoveling.
"Usually the people are very receptive and they'll get the sidewalks cleared off after we tell them it's a violation of the law," said Gardiner.
The fine in Layton is $10 for failure to clear the sidewalk, but Sgt. Gardiner can't remember the last time he gave a citation. Most people, Gardiner says, get a warning.
