GACO corner: Snow removal, sanding

Rules in Germany for keeping up your property or rental during winter may greatly differ from in the United States. The German-American Community Office has put together a few guidelines for your safety and those of others.

According to Article 17, paragraph 3, line 5 of German rules applying to public order, keeping up roads and sidewalks is delegated to the owners and/or occupants of developed or undeveloped premises, accessible to pedestrians on a public public road or adjacent to one.

Duties in winter include the removal of snow from the roads, sidewalks and crosswalks and very icy roads with sand or light gravel. In terms of proper timing, this means that winter responsibilities need to be carried out prior to heavy pedestrian or road traffic. Salt is only allowed under extremely icy conditions.

This means that sanding has to be done in such a timely manner that roads and sidewalks are secure prior to traffic, but not later than 7 a.m. on weekdays. Under certain circumstances, however, clearing may be required to start even earlier.

On Sundays and holidays, heavy traffic is considered to start around 9 a.m. hours. Winter duties must be carried out regularly at an earlier time to ensure required safety. In the evening this responsibility ends after the heavy traffic period, as a rule of thumb around 8 p.m.

Anyone failing to carry out their responsibilities, may be legally enforced to perform required snow removal or sanding. Also, bear in mind that if a person slips and is injured due to negligence of removing snow and ice, you can be held liable.