Sidewalks Municipalization (Snow/Ice Removal, General Maintenance, and Replacement)

DESIRED GOALS & OBJECTIVES

Syracuse is ever more widely recognized as the snowiest city in America with 124 average inches per year (Erie with 99.0", and Buffalo with 95.0", are a distant 2nd and 3rd). Perhaps less well known is that Syracuse is the 5th snowiest city in the whole world tied with Quebec City, Quebec, Canada ( see NOTE below ).

As a community, we the residents are ever more cognizant of the joys that can come from being a Winter tourist destination, having a white Chrsistmas, and playing in the snow - such as Mayor-Elect Ben Walsh's pledge to legalize sledding.

Along with the joys of a 4-season city and a winter wonderland from December-March, we have to face the challenges of managing the snowfall. This proposal for legislation is to municipalize sidewalk maintenance/repair and sidewalk snow management to allow for full-time pedestrian use of sidewalks year-round, and to allow emergency services, education, and commerce to continue with minimal interruption.

The most recent changes to the Syracuse book of law related to sidewalk snow managament are included here, but they had little teeth. A $100 fine is not sufficient deterrent due to the low amount of dollars fined. In addition there is a lack of enforcement. Frank Cetera has documented his daily walk from the Near Westside to the Northside with pictures, and plow operators have blocked sidewalks with snow along the route all Winter season of 2015-2016, so there is also a lack of enforcement even with the increased allocation provided in Local Law No. 2, 2015. Additionally, a FOIA request for instances of violations and enforcement was submitted by Cetera for the 2015-2016 season and ther results showed zero instances of violations reported or enforcement actions that took place.

Local Law No. 2, 2015 - Provides additional “enforcement authority” for carrying out issuing appearance tickets for violations of Chapter 9, Article 14 of the revised General Ordinances entitled “snow removal contractors”; and,

General Ordinance 9, 2015 - Amends Chapter 24, Article 2 - Ticketed enforcement for swept, thrown, or deposited snow or ice improperly placed in any street gutter or public square or park, or on any sidewalk within the city - $100 penalty per violation.

Finally, we recommend a fee based system tiered according to the property assessed value, to deliver a fair and balanced rate of payment to operate the project citywide. According to estimates from the Green Party of Onondaga County, verbal discussions by current Common Councilors, and other city experiences such as Rochester, NY, property owners will pay less than $100 annually to enable Syracuse to have maintained and cleared sidewalks year round - while providing additional public jobs to accomplish the work, and removing our reliance on the snitch system by neighbors which is currently how enforcement takes place for sidewalk repairs.

Please take a read of the draft legislation below and provide your comments and feedback.

Sincerely, Frank Cetera, Green Party Onondaga County

NOTE ......and only falling behind St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada at 131 inches, Toyama, Hokuriku, Japan at 143 inches, Sapporo, Hokkaido, Japan (host of the XI Olympic Winter Games. In 1972) at 191 inches, and Aomori City, Tōhoku , Japan at 312 inches. https://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-news/top-10-snowiest-major-cities-a/23760437