Why are residents required to shovel their sidewalk, but not their driveway?

Like streets, sidewalks are a transportation facility used by the general public.  Since the property owner has no control over how well others can traverse their snow/ice covered sidewalk, the City requires sidewalks to be cleared to the pavement within 24 hours after each winter event ends.  If a sidewalk is not shoveled and the City is aware of it, DPW is obligated to clear it and charge the property owner for the service.  Ordinance citations can also be issued for this issue.

Unlike a sidewalk, driveways are built solely for the benefit of the property owner/resident, not the general public.  Each resident is responsible for their own mobility and safety on their own driveway. So the City does not require driveway snow to be cleared from driveways.  It is up to the resident to decide if they wish to clear snow from their driveway or just drive over it.  The only exception is that the sidewalk section across a driveway must be cleared to the pavement if the property has sidewalks.

Show All Answers

1. How do I report a parking violation?
2. How do I pay a parking ticket/citation?
3. What is the wheel tax?
4. How do I report long grass?
5. What ordinance governs long grass and/or weeds in the City of Green Bay?
6. What is the maximum length of a lawn before it violates the ordinance?
7. What if my neighbors are repeatedly not cutting their lawn? Do I have to call every time?
8. What if the grass is too long in the back yard? Can I report that?
9. What consequences exist if I or my neighbor(s) don’t cut our lawn and the City cuts it?
10. What is the process for getting my neighbor to cut their lawn?
11. Why does yard and garden waste have to be placed on the terrace and can’t be placed in the street?
12. If yard and garden waste is not allowed in the street, why can DPW place it in the street when collecting?
13. Who is responsible for repair of terrace grass damaged by DPW during the yard and garden waste collection process?
14. Why doesn’t DPW collect yard and garden waste in one day’s route before going to the next day’s route?
15. Why do residents need to separate grass/leaves from brush and other yard waste when placing it at the curb?
16. If DPW uses sanitation collection maps for yard and garden waste collection routing, why isn’t yard waste collected on the same day as trash and recycling?
17. Why can’t DPW advertise in advance what specific streets yard and garden waste will be collected each day so residents can plan clean-up efforts accordingly?
18. Why is a round of east side yard and garden waste collection typically completed before a west side round?
19. What is Green Bay’s snow plowing policy?
20. Why does my driveway apron get more snow pushed into it than my neighbor’s driveway?
21. How is snow-pack and ice on residential streets supposed to melt if Green Bay does not use salt on residential streets?
22. Why are residents required to shovel their sidewalk, but not their driveway?
23. Why is the City allowed to plow street snow onto my driveway apron?
24. The snow plow damaged my mailbox. Who is responsible for fixing it?
25. The snow pack is building up on my street, and it’s slippery and bumpy. What can be done?
26. Can I get salt on my residential street to melt the snow pack and ice?
27. My neighbor is shoveling and snow blowing snow in the street. Is this legal?
28. Does salt brine rust cars faster than rock salt?