By Heather Curtis
WMAL.com

WASHINGTON — (WMAL) The fine for business owners in Montgomery County who don’t shovel their sidewalks after a snowstorm could be increased from $50 to $500 this winter.

County council member Hans Riemer proposed the steeper fines to give business owners more incentive to take on their responsibility. He said there are only a few businesses in the county that don’t clear their walks, but that has a bigger impact on the community than residents who don’t bother to shovel.

“If that building is on a corner, and that property owner is not taking care of their responsibility, how are people supposed to cross the street in a safe manner? It’s a real issue that we are working on ,” Riemer said.

Riemer said the increased fines would give the county’s code enforcement team a stronger tool to use to get business owners to comply with the law.

“We have spent a lot of time dealing with property owners who just don’t seem to get it. They basically leave the county to chase them down and really spend a tremendous effort just getting them to take care of the basic job they have to do, which is clear the sidewalk in front of their property,” Riemer said.

The council will hold a public hearing on the proposed fine increase Tuesday afternoon.

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