Property Owner’s Obligation to Remove Snow and Ice from Sidewalk​

The Second Department explained the obligation of the owner of an owner-occupied, two-family, residential house with respect to the removal of ice and snow from the abutting sidewalk:

Since the defendants’ property, a two-family house, was owner-occupied and used exclusively for residential purposes, the defendants were exempt from liability imposed pursuant to Administrative Code of the City of New York § 7-210(b) for negligent failure to remove snow and ice from the sidewalk …. Thus, the defendants may be held liable for a hazardous snow and ice condition on the sidewalk only if they undertook snow and ice removal efforts that made the naturally occurring condition more hazardous or caused the defect to occur because of a special use …. Unless one of these factors is present, an abutting owner of a two-family residence may not be held liable for the removal of snow and ice in an incomplete manner …. Rodrigo Texis Cuapio v Skrodzki, 2013 NY Slip Op 03293, 2nd Dept, 5-8-13

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