It isn't just the Department of Sanitation who has trouble shoveling, property owners do too. From the Boxing Day Blizzard through last Sunday the department issued 2,528 tickets to owners for not making a clear path on their sidewalk. And before you start screaming, the much-maligned department didn't even start ticketing until five days after the blizzard was over.
So, if you've got a property and don't want to get a ticket (fines starts at $100 and can climb up to $350) here are the rules you need to follow: During the daytime you have four hours after the last snow fall to "clear a path for pedestrians and remove snow from sidewalks next to bus stops and hydrants" (that is bus stops, not bus shelters). If the snow ends between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m. you have until 11 a.m. to clear the sidewalk.
On a day like today it is important to note we aren't just talking about snow. The same rules apply for ice. However, if you can't break the ice with your shovel you are allowed to put down salt, sawdust and/or sand—the key is making sure that pedestrians have traction and don't slip. Seen a bad patch and want to do something about it? Call 311. They'd love to send a DoS guy to go and inspect for you.
Meanwhile, in case you were curious, it seems that Brooklyn and Bronx homeowners are the worst at shoveling (with 854 and 852 tickets respectively) with Queens close behind boasting 702 tickets. Staten Island and Manhattan owners either aren't getting ticketed, or are just much better at shoveling. Those boroughs only saw 94 and 26 tickets issued in the last month!
