ᐅ Clearing and Gritting Obligations for Sidewalks (Pavements)

Somehow there is no suitable subforum.

Before writing a lot, I tried to sketch the whole situation.

1. Is the neighbor allowed to pile snow on the sidewalk in front of my property? Neatly on the side. It doesn’t bother me until it thaws. Then it stays slippery for days. I would say this isn’t good for the wall either.

2. If I understand the municipality’s regulations correctly, I have to clear the entire width up to 2.5 m (8 ft). Is that really the case? I had heard it only has to be wide enough for two strollers to pass each other, about 1.2 m (4 ft).

3. My real problem. I clear and spread grit. By 7 a.m. everything is clean and safe to walk on. But the parking ban is ignored. Numerous cars drive over the piled snow, spreading it on the sidewalk. This compacts everything and it freezes into ice. I can no longer remove the mess.
Right now there is only a narrow path free of snow and ice. If a car parks there, pedestrians have to divert. Who is liable if someone slips while avoiding the car or on the frozen snow and slush?

I’m not a legal expert, but as far as I know, the person responsible for clearing the area is always liable. It’s not enough to clear once in the morning; if someone slips in the evening, you’re still responsible. Ideas for measures:

First, do you know who the illegal parkers are? Are they neighbors?
If yes, two options:
1. Talk to them politely, explain the issue—they should face the same challenges and risks.
2. Report them to the local authorities (e.g., building enforcement or public order office).
If no, report them directly to the authorities.
That way, there’s an official record that you tried to address the problem.

Regarding the snow pile: I’m not sure if that’s allowed. Again, two options:
1. Talk to the person responsible.
2. If necessary, consider placing a snow pile in front of their property as a quid pro quo.
It might be a good idea to ask the municipality first. Depending on their response, either report the issue or talk to the person beforehand, or go for option 2.

Clearing width
If the regulation says 2.5 m (8 feet 2 inches), then that’s what applies, but you haven’t posted the exact rule. If the wording is unclear, ask the municipality.

One more idea just came to me. Could you build a snowbank to prevent cars from parking there? That would solve several problems at once.

I had the snow pile as well. It didn’t even last a day. It was driven over before it could freeze solid.

Where parking is not allowed, the sidewalk is clear. But in the no-parking zone, just about anyone parks.

I also think the property owner is responsible, but even if I clear the area hourly, the snow gets so compacted that it requires force. You just end up pushing it around, only to have to chip away the previously cleared snow with a spade later. Actually, I only need to clear snow when new snow comes in.

I spread sand and gravel. If needed, I use salt. That usually lasts until the evening, except on tire tracks. Plus, I’d have to fill the gaps exactly if no car is parked there. Cars drive over the area during clearing or when sweeping in the summer.

But it’s best to talk to the municipality.

The neighbor handles the winter maintenance. I’ll check tomorrow morning if I can catch the worker. Usually arrives around 5:30.

If just anyone parks there, I would report them all to the building authority. In Berlin, you can even do this via a web app.

This is indeed a difficult topic and often causes ongoing disputes between neighbors, so I would advise caution. Many municipalities have regulations, but they can’t always be implemented exactly as written because certain circumstances prevent it.

I wouldn’t want to keep pathways clear or maintain them for visitors either, but if the neighbor has even contracted a snow removal service, I personally think that shows a responsible attitude. Ultimately, not everything can be fully enforced. We had endless discussions about this in our multi-family building.

One person leaves for work at 6 a.m. and clears the sidewalk, then again the next morning. However, it only starts snowing at 8 a.m., after they’ve left, so the path is snowy during the day. For another, it’s the opposite. In the next apartment, there’s an elderly resident; another neighbor doesn’t have a car, and so on. There are thousands of differences that make it complicated because snow falls and stays as it pleases.

Maybe you could share what the municipality says… though I’m afraid you might not be much wiser afterward, but perhaps I’m wrong.

This will not cause any neighbor disputes. They don’t park there, only their walk-in customers, ride services, and salespeople.

I will handle the service issue like this. I need to catch him in time. It doesn’t have to go through the client. A direct request is usually more effective.

I’ll try to catch the manager tomorrow. He usually passes by shortly before 8.
I have a proposed solution: two flower boxes like the ones on the opposite side. The municipality installs them, and we maintain them. That way, there is peace, the sidewalk stays clear, and it looks nice.