In any other year, you might not need to worry about who is responsible for shoveling snow on the sidewalks adjacent to your home or business.

This year, it's important to have the facts so you can protect your family, neighbors and customers from fall injuries and protect yourself from blame for those injuries.

In Castle Rock property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from the sidewalks around their homes and businesses. Here is the exact wording from Chapter 12, Section 16 of the Town code:

"Repair and maintenance of sidewalks shall be the responsibility of the property owner adjacent to or upon whose property the sidewalk is located..."

"It shall be the further responsibility of all property owners in the Town to maintain all curbs, gutters and sidewalks on or adjacent to their property, free from all obstructions, snow and other hazards. In the event that permanent obstructions, such as asphalt, concrete, or other permanent material, are found upon the sidewalk or in the gutters, the Town shall utilize the notification procedure set for in subsection B of this Section prior to removing the same and assessing the cost to the property owners. It is deemed appropriate that snow and ice shall be removed from the sidewalks within forty-eight (48) hours following the termination of any weather condition which causes two (2) or more inches accumulation upon such sidewalks."

The Town code also provides for enforcement and a maximum $300 fine for non-compliance with the sidewalk maintenance provision. However, because of the immensity of the string of snowstorms that struck the Town in December and earlier this month, Town officials are seeking voluntary compliance with the sidewalk snow-removal ordinance at this time.

Remember that the term property owner in the ordinance can mean individuals or entities such as homeowners associations, schools, government and others that control common and public property. In the interest of public safety and in response to complaints, the Town of Castle Rock Town often takes the initiative to clear safe paths for children and pedestrians when property owners are remiss.

Acknowledging that not everyone is physically or financially able to comply with the Town's sidewalk snow-removal ordinance, it's important to personally talk to property owners to ascertain, if there is an issue, why snow removal hasn't occurred.

Following are some suggestions from Town Code Enforcement Officer Robin DeSio for property owners who have procrastinated, or are unable to clear their sidewalks:

• Get shoveling. If your neighbors see you doing it, they might be motivated to do the same.

• Help your neighbors. You might make a friend.

• Call in favors with friends.

· Contact a local youth group -- 4-H, Girl Scouts, or churches -- and see if they might do some shoveling in exchange for a donation.

· Use bird seed instead of salt for traction. It's environmentally friendly.

· If you're worried about salt damage, sweep or shovel the salt after the snow melts.

· If you're worried about your pets around salt, there's a product called Pet Paws that melts ice and protects your pets.

· Research the Internet, yellow pages and newspapers for snow-removal assistance

Direct sidewalk your snow-removal questions to DeSio, 720-733-2223 or rdesio@CRgov.com.

Chad Reiling is a community relations specialist for the Town of Castle Rock.