Council Member Justin Brannan. Image Credit: NY City Council.

While many are still shoveling snow from the fourth nor’easter of the year, a new bill looks to increase penalties on chain business owners who fail to clear sidewalks. On March 7, 2018, Council Member Justin Brannan introduced a bill that will amend the Department of Sanitation section of the administrative code by increase the penalties for chain business owners who fail to properly remove snow, ice, and dirt from sidewalks following a snowfall. Council member Brannan hopes these changes will encourage increased enforcement by property owners with larger stretches of icy sidewalks that pose serious hazards to local residents while preventing smaller independent stores with less square footage and sidewalk space from being penalized unnecessarily. (read more…)