Responsibilities of Residents in the City of Portland, OR

This last week we have had some difficult weather here in Portland, Or. It's pretty well-known that we have a lot of precipitation, but its generally not the white, fluffy kind. We got about 10-12 inches of snow, depending on where you live in town. I live in SE, near Hawthorne, and we had about a foot. I can imagine that King's Heights or Forest Heights had it much worse, and I'm currently working with clients on a purchase in Lake Oswego, so I know they had some dangerous roads.

The point, however, is that there are certain responsibilities that are unknown for residents of the city, and the inclement weather highlighted those responsibilities. There was actually an Oregonian article the other day referencing the fact that residents are responsible for shoveling their sidewalks and/or keeping their walkways clear. Any person that were to slip on the sidewalk, would have grounds for a lawsuit if the owner had not fulfilled their responsibility of clearing the walk with in 4 days of the event.

Another reason that I write this post is that residents need to be aware of city regulations concerning trees and debris on their walkways. I have plenty of questions regarding this when my buyers are looking at homes. We have plenty of beautiful, old trees in the city, and sometimes their roots can grow under the sidewalks and "lift" the concrete. This is the responsibility of the homeowner, and may be an expense in the future, either legally or through repair costs.