Reporting Snow Blocked Sidewalks in
Portland, Maine
• home • Contact Us • Report to the City • Portland Parks and Recreation • Portland City Council • Property Look-up
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About PortlandSidewalks.org
The current city code in Portland, Maine for clearing sidewalks of snow and ice relies on property owners sense of civic responsibility. The code also forbids the city to police negligent property owners and relies on neighbors and fellow citizens to report violations. The information on this website is here to assist folks in reporting snow blocked sidewalks.
Here are the basic rules: The city gives property owners 24 hours after the end of a snowstorm to clear their adjacent sidewalk of ice and snow. For corner lot owners this responsibility includes clearing the sidewalk along the side and providing access to the street
After that 24-hour period, sidewalks blocked with snow should be reported. (756-8393 or email at citysidewalks@portlandmaine.gov) The reported address is then forwarded to the City Inspections Department who then send out an inspector to verify and then notify the owner that they have another 24 hours to comply with the city ordinance. Inspections Department then will make a follow-up visit and if the walk is still not cleared they will contact Portland Public Works who will then come by and clear that sidewalk and charge the property owner for this expense.
The code further states that there is a flat fine of $250 for business properties who willfully plow snow onto a city sidewalk.
See city code Chapter 25 Article VIII
Portland Parks And Recreation Department is responsible for clearing the "School Routes" and other heavily trafficked sidewalks. If you would like to find out which sidewalks apply and or to have them re-plow one of these walkways you can contact them via this link Parks and Recreation
The above link for "property look up" will help you figure out addresses to empty lots or buildings with no street number.
Go to this city assessors page and in the space for street just type in the street name and it will list all the properties on that street. You can usually, through process of elimination, find the propriety number you are looking for. This little bit of research will help you give accurate reports to the city.
The Public Safety Committee deals with crafting the sidewalks ordinances. As this issue is still being evaluated and the code ammended there is still a little bit of room for public input at their monthly meetings. You can visit their web page to see if the sidewalk topic is on their agenda via this link: Public Safety Committee