The Laramie City Council voted to approve the ordinance that would make several changes to the city’s snow removal policy during their meeting Tuesday night.

The ordinance passed last night after the City Council approved two amendments.

Original Ordinance No. 1977 originally proposed updates to the snow removal policy such as changing the snow or ice removal time frame to 9 a.m. the following morning after snowfall and requiring a 42 inch path to be cleared.

Councilor Pat Gabriel said he proposed an amendment to alter the time to which snow had to be removed to 12 p.m. following a snow event. Gabriel said he heard from a number of Laramie residents that 9 a.m. was not enough time. The amendment passed 6-2, with one councilor being absent.

The original ordinance also included fees to enforce the policies. Violators of the policy would have 24 hours after a notice is posted on their property. If the obstruction is not removed within 24 hours, the city may hire a contractor to remove the snow, ice or other debris from the sidewalk at the violator’s expense. The owner of the property would be charged a $100 administrative fee in addition to the contractor’s fee for the first offense within a six month period. The second offense would bring a $150 fine.

Gabriel said Councilor Phoebe Stoner proposed an amendment that imposed a flat fee of $50 for each additional offense, as opposed to a tiered administrative fee that increased each time there was an additional offense. That amendment passed 6-2.

Gabriel said the new policy would go into effect in two weeks.