Relating to the responsibility and liability of property owners for public places in cities, prohibiting fines, and including effective date provisions

This bill relates to the responsibility and liability of an abutting property owner for public places in a city such as sidewalks. Under current law, an abutting property owner may be required by a city ordinance to remove natural accumulations of snow and ice within a reasonable time and maintain public sidewalks or other property between the property line and the curb line. The bill adds that an abutting property owner may be liable if the property owner fails to use reasonable care in maintaining sidewalks or other property between the property line and the curb line if required by a city ordinance. The bill prohibits a city from assessing a fine against an abutting property owner for failure to remove snow and ice from the sidewalks within a reasonable amount of time and for failure to maintain all property from the property line to the curb.12(2), within a reasonable time, a city may perform the required action and assess the costs against the abutting property for collection in the same manner as a property tax.12(2)(b) or (c). The bill takes effect upon enactment.