Village officials have received several questions and concerns about sidewalks covered with snow. In an attempt to address the issue by educating the public before taking court action, the village has issued this notice:

Village ordinance 94.11 reads: “No owner or occupant of lots or lands abutting any sidewalk, curb, or gutter shall fail to keep the sidewalks, curbs, and gutters in repair and free from snow, ice, or any nuisance, and to remove from such sidewalks, curbs, or gutters all snow and ice accumulated thereon within a reasonable time, which will ordinarily not exceed 12 hours after any storm during which the snow and ice has accumulated.”

The notice continues:

While we recognize this has been another exceptional season of snow, and many folks are ready for a change, the duty to keep sidewalks clear remains.  Village plow crews have done their best to remove snow from the roadway without purposely creating additional work for residents, however there are some cases where the sidewalk sits close to the roadway’s edge and piled snow is inevitable.

Many parents rely upon the notion their child(ren) can safely walk to school or the bus stop.  Other pedestrians eager to enjoy the outdoor climate by walking the sidewalks count on having a clear path on which to walk.  We are asking for community involvement to clear those sidewalks to help achieve the goal of having sidewalks free from snow and ice.

Sadly, in Ohio earlier this week, there was a tragedy where someone walking in the roadway was struck by a car.  A Good Samaritan was helping the injured pedestrian when another car fatally struck the Samaritan.  Snow covered sidewalks contributed to the reason the person was walking in the roadway.

To avoid the likely scenario where a village official is greeted with “So what about the ‘other guy’?” we are taking extraordinary steps to notify the public before taking formal action.  Those steps include two separate notices on the village website (www.bluffton-ohio.com) and this press release.  

We thank you for doing your part in helping to keep Bluffton a safer place to live."