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Appointment Only

Building Inspection is open to the public by appointment only.

For more on appointments and other services, please see the Building Inspection Services page.

Snow Removal from Public Sidewalks


Snowy or icy sidewalks are a safety issue. Since it's a safety issue, Building Inspection gives tickets, not warnings. Read on below for snow rules and tips.

For owners

The owner of a property next to a public sidewalk must handle snow and ice removal.

You must clear the entire sidewalk, from edge to edge. If you cannot remove ice, you must use sand or another suitable substance to help prevent falls.

You must clear the snow by noon of the day after the snow stops. For example, if the snow stops any time on Monday, from 12 am to 11:59 pm, you must clear snow by Tuesday at noon.

Remember, you must remove all the snow. Even a dusting of snow can be slippery and dangerous.

For owners with tenants

Make sure snow removal expectations are in the lease. If tenants handle snow removal, per the lease, remind them of the above deadline.

General tips

For tenants

Check your lease to see who must handle snow and ice removal. If your lease says you must handle snow removal, sign up for snow removal alerts. These alerts will help you track deadlines for snow removal. Make sure you remove snow by noon of the day after the snow stops.

Staff does enforcement based on complaints we receive.

You can report an unshoveled sidewalk online or by calling our office at (608) 266-4551 ext 4. Please first make sure to check that the snow-clearing deadline has passed. Unfortunately, we must discard any complaints we receive before the deadline.

Note: There are older areas of Madison that have paved terraces. Paved terraces are not sidewalks. We cannot enforce snow removal in these areas.

Resources
Last Updated: 12/14/2023

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