The Daily Orange Editorial Board encourages the Syracuse Common Council to pass an ordinance that would fine Syracuse residents who do not shovel the sidewalks in front of their properties.

Next Monday, the Common Council will reconsider a $50 fine for residents that live on main roads or live by schools who don’t shovel their sidewalks. Under this proposed ordinance, residents will be issued a written warning and will then have 24 hours to clear their sidewalks before receiving the fine. The proposed ordinance will be implemented over four years starting in the Southwest district and adding one quadrant per year. Residents that live near Syracuse University would be the last to be affected by the ordinance.

Though it would be years until Syracuse University students would see the effects of this ordinance, the ordinance would be positive for Syracuse students — and the entire city — for multiple reasons.

It would be easier and safer for students to get to main campus from surrounding areas if the sidewalks were clear of snow. Many SU students commute to campus by foot and walking through snow-covered sidewalks is not just inconvenient, but dangerous because of black ice and uneven ground. If the Common Council passes the ordinance, it will be beneficial for the neighborhoods surrounding the university.

For college students, the only opposition to this ordinance could come from laziness. Homeowners or renters should be responsible for taking care of their residences, and that should include clearing the sidewalk so people walking by are not inconvenienced or injured. The $50 fine is necessary to provide some type of consequence. And the 24-hour grace period provides the opportunity for residents to shovel their sidewalks to avoid the ticket.

The Common Council should pass this ordinance on Monday to set into motion an eventual city-wide rule. SU students might not embrace having to shovel more snow, but clear sidewalks will be a welcome change.