As New Jersey experienced its first snowfall of the season this past week, let us offer a friendly reminder to shovel your sidewalks.
After every major snowstorm, there are dozens of homeowners throughout town who do not clear their sidewalks. As a result, individuals trying to safely walk or jog around Livingston (including children walking to school) are put in unnecessarily dangerous situations, forced to walk in a lane of traffic on one of the town’s busiest roadways, for example.
We do understand that shoveling is difficult for some of our residents, but those residents still miraculously find a way to get their driveways cleared! Whether homeowners take care of the snow themselves, have friends or family lend a hand, or they pay someone to clear the area, the driveways get done, and so should the sidewalks.
This isn’t just a request for decency, it’s the law. In the township’s code, it states, “it shall be the duty of the owner, occupant or tenant of any lot, parcel of land, or real property in the township abutting or bordering on the sidewalks of a public street in the township to remove or cause to be removed all snow and ice from the sidewalk area in front of or bordering his lands, within 12 hours of daylight after the snow has ceased to fall.”
We have suggested in the past that the township should look into starting a program to link those who cannot clear their walkways with residents willing to do so, either for a fee or out of the kindness of their hearts. We still believe this is an idea worth pursuing. Of course, we can also count on some local groups, like Livingston’s scouting troops, to lend a hand to a neighbor in need as well.
