By: Nyah Adams / News Director

The City of St. Cloud is reminding everyone to clear off any public sidewalks in front of their homes within 24 hours of a snowfall or face a fine.

This effort is to promote pedestrian and vehicle safety during the winter months. The city says if the sidewalks are not cleared it forces people to walk on the road.

Guidelines for clearing your public sidewalk include:

• Shovel sidewalks on all sides of your property, the full width of the sidewalk.
• Remove ice to bare pavement and treat with salt or sand, if needed.
• If you have corner property, clear curb cuts at corners and crosswalks to the street gutter to facilitate handicap accessibility.
• Pile snow into your yard and boulevard. It’s against the law to shovel snow into streets and alleys.
• Make arrangements for someone to take over while you are away.

Failure to comply will result in a $250 fine and if unpaid will be added to your property taxes. If you have any sidewalk snow removal questions, please contact the Public Works Department at their website.