Petition to strengthen enforcement of Seattle’s sidewalk snow removal regulation. While seemingly not codified in the linked rule, Seattle and the state require removal 12-24 hours after accumulation. 

With the recent storm of Christmas 2021, uncleared sidewalks posed grave danger to pedestrians, as reported by The Seattle Times, forcing them into active roadways or unable to leave their homes at all, meaning missed medical appointments, jobs, etc. This danger continued for weeks, including refreeze of partially-melted surfaces. 

While snow is not as common in the metro area as other locales, that should not allow property owners, both residential and commercial, to not maintain their sidewalks. Owners who do not reside at their sidewalk-adjacent properties must have - and execute - plans that ensure timely removal, especially if they are unable to travel to their property. 

Therefore, we ask Seattle City Council and Mayor Harrell to create a plan to improve sidewalk safety through snow removal enforcement. This may include additional property owner education but must ensure that owners are held accountable to ensure equitable protection for pedestrians across the city.