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Most Youngstown businesses shoveled snow from downtown sidewalks
YOUNGSTOWN
After the first major snowstorm since the city started requiring downtown businesses to clear snow and ice from sidewalks, most complied.
But there were a few problems, said Mayor John A. McNally.
The city removed the snow Tuesday in front of a few of those buildings on West Federal Street – downtown’s busiest street – but didn’t fine any of the property owners, he said.
“We sent a friendly reminder to those who didn’t comply, but I appreciate the efforts all the other folks made to clear the sidewalks,” McNally said.
The next time, he said, the city will enforce the fine part of the ordinance that requires downtown businesses to remove snow and ice from city sidewalks by 9 a.m. on the day after it snows with a minimum 42-inch cleared path. If a sidewalk is fewer than 42 inches wide, the full width must be cleared under the city law.
Failure to do so could result in a $150 fine per occurrence for up to 100 linear feet, and $250 per occurrence for 100 linear feet or more.
The mayor walked West Federal Street around noon Tuesday. An hour earlier, a Vindicator reporter did the same.
Among downtown buildings that needed to be cleared included Turning Technologies, the Downtown Draught House, the George V. Voinovich Government Center and the Mahoning County Children Services building, McNally said.
The latter two are owned by the Youngstown Central Area Community Improvement Corp., which is run by the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
Thomas Humphries, the chamber’s president and chief executive officer, said the sidewalk in front of the buildings was shoveled at 6:20 a.m. Tuesday. Because it snowed so quickly and city plows later pushed snow onto the sidewalk it looked like it wasn’t shoveled, he said.
City council approved the law in June 2015 at the request of the administration because of problems with snow not being shoveled by those in the central business district.