Property owner’s responsibility to remove snow.

City Code requires snow accumulations be removed from sidewalks. If you are a snowbird, please be sure your sidewalks are cleaned in your absence. If you don’t, the city may do so and assess the property owner for the collection in the same way as property taxes.

It is unlawful for property owners to push snow onto the street or on someone else’s property, i.e., into the adjacent ditch or across the street onto the trail property.

136.03 REMOVAL OF SNOW, ICE, AND ACCUMULATIONS.

The abutting property owner shall remove snow, ice, and accumulations promptly from sidewalks. If a property owner does not remove snow, ice, or accumulations within a reasonable time, the City may do so and assess the costs against the property owner for collection in the same manner as a property tax. The abutting property owner may be liable for damages caused by failure to remove snow, ice, and accumulations promptly from the sidewalk.

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.12[2b & e])

135.12 DUMPING OF SNOW.

It is unlawful for any person to throw, push, or place or cause to be thrown, pushed or placed, any ice or snow from private property, sidewalks, or driveways onto the traveled way of a street or alley so as to obstruct gutters, or impede the passage of vehicles upon the street or alley or to create a hazardous condition therein; except where, in the cleaning of large commercial drives in the business district it is absolutely necessary to move the snow onto the street or alley temporarily, such accumulation shall be removed promptly by the property owner or agent. Arrangements for the prompt removal of such accumulations shall be made prior to moving the snow.

(Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.12[2])