City of Rochester
News Release
~With up to foot of snow in forecast, Mayor Encourages Civic Responsibility, Good-Neighbor Values~
(Wednesday, Feb. 2, 2022) – In advance of a weather forecast calling for heavy snow Thursday and Friday, Mayor Malik D. Evans today urged city property owners to shovel the sidewalk adjacent to their property as required by City Code and look for opportunities to help their neighbors ride out the storm.
“Our snow fighters on City staff are doing a fantastic job clearing snow and keeping the city running, but residents and business owners also have a role to play,” said Mayor Evans. “Our civic responsibility doesn’t end at the property line.”
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning and Hazardous Weather Outlook for the Rochester area from 10 p.m. today to 1 p.m. Friday, calling for rain followed by up to 12 inches of snow. The greatest accumulations will be Thursday evening, with hazardous conditions during the evening and morning commutes.
The City’s snow clearing operations are underway in advance of the storm and will continue well after. Crews are currently removing snow piles from previous storms from roadways and are monitoring the forecast to determine when to begin treating and plowing major thoroughfares.
Private contractors hired to plow residential streets will begin plowing when the snow accumulations reach 3 inches. The City’s supplemental sidewalk-plowing service will begin when snowfall reaches 4 inches.
At a news conference Wednesday, Mayor Evans emphasized that sidewalk plowing is a supplemental service, added to the stipulation in the City Code that all property owners, including homeowners, landlords and commercial building owners, are required to keep the sidewalk adjacent to their property or lot clear of snow and ice.
Even 1 inch of snow can block the path of a person with disabilities and the buildup of ice on the sidewalk can prompt children and other pedestrians to walk in the street and risk injury from a motor vehicle.
Mayor Evans also noted that the City Code prohibits plowing or shoveling snow from a private driveway or parking lot onto a city street or sidewalk. And it is critical that motorists who park in the street observe the alternate-side parking regulations to make room for plows.
He also asked residents to consider taking extra steps in the spirit of being good neighbors by checking on neighbors who may be home bound and offering to shovel their walk. Residents can also shovel out fire hydrants and cross walk wheelchair ramps.
“A lot of this is City Code, but it’s also the neighborly thing to do,” said Mayor Evans. “There’s an African proverb that says ‘Better a Close Neighbor than a brother who is far away.’ So we want to pay it forward and be kind to our neighbors.”
To learn more about the City’s snow clearing operations and the responsibilities of property owners, visit www.cityofrochester.gov/ROCSnow.
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News Media: For more information, contact Barbara Pierce at Barbara.Pierce@cityofrochester.gov.
The City of Rochester administration of Mayor Malik D. Evans is committed to promoting positive, systemic and structural change by providing transparent and collaborative leadership, offering equitable access to essential municipal services, enabling productive intergovernmental, private, and non-profit partnerships, and promoting increased quality of life through investments that create vibrant neighborhoods and employment opportunities, making Rochester a hope-filled city with an exciting future. For more information, visit www.cityofrochester.gov.