New legislation for sidewalk snow clearance in Oxford could be on the way
Under a newly proposed ordinance, Oxford could clear snow from sidewalks that property owners don't handle themselves, then bill those owners.
Following this year’s early snow storms, Oxford is considering new regulations to ensure sidewalks in town get shoveled.
Oxford has more than 70 miles of sidewalks. City Manager Doug Elliott said many of those sidewalks became hazardous after the heavy snowfall Jan. 5 and 6, particularly those which businesses and residents failed to clear. The snowfall ultimately cost the city $65,000 to keep the roads clear.
The city’s current ordinance on sidewalk clearing requires property owners to keep their sidewalks free from snow and ice, though Elliott said the city has not previously enforced it.
The newly proposed ordinance would require property owners to clear their sidewalks by 10 a.m. on the day following a snow event. If the snow isn’t removed, the service department will use staff or a contractor to remove the snow and charge the expense to the owner. If the owner doesn’t pay, the city will then put a lien on their property for the same amount.
Elliott recommended focusing especially on properties along the city’s established snow routes, as well as US 27. The new ordinance would require a supplemental appropriation of $20,000 for contracted services.
“This is a big change,” Elliott said, “a big change, because there are a lot of property owners that have failed to clear their properties of snow and ice … It’s a big responsibility for the city, but I think it’s time to do it.”
The ordinance as read on Jan. 21 did not include a minimum snowfall to trigger the obligation to shovel. Mayor Bill Snavely and Elliott said they would consider adding that in ahead of the second reading, and council member David Prytherch suggested tying the requirement to county snow emergency declarations.
Vincent Hand, an Oxford resident, said he walks Uptown regularly and supports the ordinance, though he questioned the ordinance’s reference to clearing curbs and gutters. Snavely suggested that the city could remove the curb and gutter clearing requirement, which he said hasn’t been an expectation for owners.
A second ordinance, if approved, would permit the city to purchase a new snow machine to clear portions of the Oxford Area Trails System (OATS) during winter storms. The ordinance would put up to $55,000 toward the purchase. The machine would be used to plow portions of the trail on Brookville Road and Oxford-Reily Road to ensure pedestrian access to Talawanda Middle School.
Students who live within two miles of their school do not receive busing, making pedestrian routes more important for some children. The Talawanda Board of Education voted to reinstate busing to within a one-mile radius of school buildings for the 2025-26 school year.
Also during the meeting, council approved a payment of more than $130,000 for an easement to complete Phase 5 of the OATS. Service Director Mike Dreisbach said the city will pay out the money to Cobblestone Community Church, which owns property along the next section of the route to be constructed.
When complete, Phase 5 of the trail will run from Talawanda High School to Talawanda Middle School.
Oxford City Council will vote on the proposed snow maintenance ordinances during its next meeting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 4 in the Oxford Courthouse.
