Following Winter Storm Fern, most central Ohio cities opted to warn residents about snow-covered sidewalks rather than issue citations, according to reports from city officials.
Columbus
The city of Columbus has not issued any citations to property owners for uncleared sidewalks since Winter Storm Fern. Instead, a notice of awareness is issued after a 311 complaint, often resulting in the sidewalk being cleared, according to Department of Public Service spokesperson Debbie Briner. Still, a pedestrian was struck and killed on Feb. 2 on Wilson Road at Enterprise Avenue, and Columbus police Sgt. Joe Albert noted the sidewalk “does not appear that it was clear” at the time of the incident.
Bexley and Worthington
Bexley and Worthington are exceptions to the trend of warnings. While Bexley hasn’t fined residents for snowy sidewalks, city employees leave door hangers informing them of potential $100 a day fines. Worthington has cleared sidewalks for some commercial properties and will bill them for the work, according to Worthington City Engineer John Moorehead and Bexley Building and Planning Director Matt Klingler.
Other Franklin County Cities
Canal Winchester has not issued any citations for uncleared sidewalks in 2025 or 2026. Dublin reached out to businesses, who voluntarily complied with snow removal requests. Hilliard has “been working successfully with property owners” to address the issue. Grandview Heights issued no warnings or citations. Grove City handed out friendly reminders. Groveport did not respond to requests for comment, but no citations have been filed in the Groveport Mayor’s Court. New Albany relies on homeowners’ associations for residential sidewalk maintenance. Westerville provided resources to residents for snow removal, and residents organized via Facebook to shovel sidewalks for each other.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Columbus doing about snow-covered sidewalks?
The city of Columbus issues a notice of awareness after a 311 complaint about uncleared sidewalks, which often prompts the owner to clear the sidewalk.
Which cities are issuing fines for uncleared sidewalks?
Bexley has not issued fines to residents, but may do so. Worthington is billing commercial properties for sidewalk clearing they performed.
Are there any laws requiring residents to clear sidewalks?
There is no state law requiring residents to clear sidewalks. It is up to local communities to regulate it, and Gahanna, Reynoldsburg, Upper Arlington and Whitehall do not have such laws.
As communities continue to recover from Winter Storm Fern, will the current approach to sidewalk maintenance—focused on warnings and voluntary compliance—remain the standard, or will cities consider stricter enforcement measures in the future?
