Rant. Neighbors not clearing their sidewalks

I could never figure out why there are laws if they are going to be unenforced

Its easy money in Ashburn...Geez... Figure a car and Govt employee at $50 an hour...you could easily cover the cost plus make a few thousand dollars just by driving through the developments in Ashburn!!

 

If your looking for quick revenue, tell the Board to enforce the road sign laws. Each one of those advertising signs by the road holds a $100 fine, plus clean up costs under current law. The system allows for it to generate revenue and pay for itself.

 

I'm not looking for anything! If I was looking for quick revenue I'd fall on every single unshoveled sidewalk!

 

New owners. Same house. Same story. Sidewalks completely ignored and now it's a dangerous, icy mess. Every other street on the block cleared the sidewalks. Took me a total of 10 minutes to do mine yesterday and about the same the day before. Not a big deal except it's the bus stop.

 

Call the county. They have the responsibility to enforce and thats your best course of action

 

Maybe the new homeowners are not aware of the policy.

 

Policy? Its common sense to clear one's own sidewalk. If someone slips and falls on an uncleared icy sidewalk, guess who the victim is gonna go after. That homeowner better have a homeowner's insurance policy if the injured party will take them to the cleaners.

 

So - yesterday, they cleaned the sidewalk in front of the house and the sidewalk to the side of the house to the actual end of the house, ignoring the other part of the side of their house where their fence is - still part of the sidewalk they are responsible for. I find it interesting that four owners in a row have thought clearing the sidewalks were not their responsibility - and then, they seemed to think that only clearing in front of the house/bus stop is sufficient. It just never would occur to me NOT to clear the sidewalks.

 

Not sure where the new homeowners came from, BUT, some people do move here from the South.

 

So if ALL are from the South---surely they probably have relatives or friends that live in the North so they most likely KNOW that its their responsibility to clear the sidewalks in front of their homes. If they don't clear it each year...then its safe to say these neighbors don't give a rat's ass about clearing it out for other's safety. It's like having a C'est La Vie attitude with them. None of us can force them to clear it except the county and when the county can't afford to enforce the laws/policies/regulations/ordinances, then that is where we have a "woe be us" situation.

 

??? So, I think what you are trying to say is that if someone from say, Florida moves here that they should know to shovel sidewalks because the "alleged" relatives/friends MUST have told them they needed to. That is a pretty strong limb!

In general - How about one go to their neighbor and in a friendly manner, remind them of their responsibility. If a second remeinder is needed, be firmer and inform them that you will notify the county. OR
one could be a good neighbor and shovel it themself.

 

Surely one can be a good neighbor...but how many times can people keep doing that before their ire is raised? Some people just don't want to do the work or beg it off offering myriad excuses. Not only that but going to the COUNTY???!? They have no staff to enforce the ordinances at all. Several folks on the forums allegedly did call the county only to be rebuffed and told that they don't have the resources or staff to go after violators. Not only that, but the offenders probably are waiting for the sun to melt the ice/snow to oblivion

 

When I approached the neighbors two owners ago, they told me to shovel it myself. They also threatened physical violence. Owners after that had the police involved concerning one person threatening another in the household with a gun. When I don't know them, I am not going to go knocking on their door.

 

Whoa.... Not a good thing with guns.... and I wouldn't want to go up to any house to tell them what to do with sidewalks, etc. anyway as they are adults and should be able to figure out by watching other neighbors what acceptable protocol is when it comes to putting garbage out, mowing yards, shoveling sidewalks, etc. But again, we do have our fair share of neighbors who take FOREVER to mow yards, shovel sidewalks, put away garbage bins and the like. Like I said, no one can force them to do these things unless they get letters from HOA and/or from county authorities. But I doubt the county would really do anything since they don't have the manpower to do so. I'd be very surprised if they do come around and do something about it.

 

I do know that the county can, and has, enforced it.
First notification to resident will be a pretty strongly worded letter that informs the resident that they will be fined $250/day the walk is left uncleared.
In all cases I'm aware of, the residents cleared the sidewalk IMMEDIATELY.
$250/day is enough $$ to make it worth the county's while to stop by the house. A quick snapshot = $250 revenue per day.
Also, filing a complaint with the HOA helps build a case.

 

If county DOES. Do it, then I'm for it but I do recall a few folks on forum reporting that county personnel told them that they didn't have the resources so I guess either they were misinformed or county randomly enforces it when they have time and manpower. Don't hold it against me as Im not sure as I've never called them nor have I actually seen them come around.

Hope they enforce that corner house next storm go-around if resident refuses to shovel it themselves for safety's sake for the kids for school.

 

We moved here from Texas in 1998 and I know we were totally clueless about shoveling sidewalks and being required to by law. Of course, we may have been clueless in general, completely unrelated to having lived in the south most of our lives.

You'd think shoveling would be common sense but apparently not. But the first time I tried to do the shoveling AFTER it had turned to ice I learned my lesson. I say mention it nicely to the current homeowners and hope for the best. If that doesn't work than it's time to call the county. I hope you get lucky this time and the people are cool about it.

 

How can that be not common sense? Anyone could have gone to the store (home depot, costco, etc.) and seen the shovels and wonder what they were used for. I fail to see how people can not think how to get snow off their sidewalks in front of their door/garage/main sidewalks? My father grew up all his life in Miami, Florida and when moving up north, he knew that to get the snow off the sidewalks, he had to get a shovel.

I would think that some people resent people telling them what to do with their sidewalks hence some people are reluctant to go up to the house to tell them they need to shovel the sidewalk. Some people may act indifferent...some hostile....some saying "do it yourself", etc. What I've observed from here is that some of the same houses are repeat violators. Last I know is that the sidewalks need to be cleared by a certain time the following day but by the time the county comes out, the snow may have melted by then making the whole situation moot. Go figure.

 

I think I live by some southerners, too. Do people from the south not know to take in their garbage can either? Because in addition to rarely shoveling, their garbage can is usually not moved from the street before the next time it needs to be taken back out.

 

I had a neighbor who did this many years back and I would put his bin in front of his front door. After only a few times doing this, the hint sunk in.

This is also something the HOA can try to enforce.