For purposes of this article, the term "owner" shall be defined
as the owner or owners of any property which abuts or is adjacent
to a public sidewalk in the Town of Griswold .
Each owner shall be responsible for maintaining, as set forth
herein, that portion of any public sidewalk which abuts or is adjacent
to his or her property.
Such owner shall remove accumulation of ice or snow within 12
hours after such snow and/or ice has ceased to accumulate, or within
such additional time period as the Road Superintendent of the Town
of Griswold shall order, and if such owner shall fail to remove said
accumulation of snow and ice within the time prescribed, the Road
Superintendent may cause the same to be done, the expense therefor
to be charged to the owner. Upon failure of the owner to pay such
charges within 60 days, the Road Superintendent shall file upon the
Town land records a lien in the amount of such costs against the owner's
property. Such liens may be enforced and collected in the same manner
as is provided by law for the collection and enforcement of tax liens.
Until it is practical to remove ice, it must be temporarily sanded
with an abrasive or chemical substance (excluding pure salt compound).
Such owner shall be responsible for maintaining such public
sidewalk free from all obstructions or materials which may be hazardous
to pedestrian traffic such as dirt, sand, leaves, branches, grass
clippings, rocks or any other materials. If the owner shall fail to
maintain the sidewalk free from the accumulation of such materials,
the Road Superintendent may cause the same to be done and may collect
the cost thereof from said owner as above provided.
Pursuant to Section 7-163a of the General Statutes and notwithstanding
the provisions of Section 13a-149 or any other general statute or
special act, the Town of Griswold shall not be liable to any person
injured in person or property caused by the presence of ice or snow
on a public sidewalk unless the Town is the owner or person in possession
and control of land abutting such sidewalk, other than land used as
a highway or street, provided the Town of Griswold shall be liable
for its affirmative acts with respect to such sidewalk.
Any person aggrieved by any order of the Road Superintendent
under this article may appeal such order to the Board of Selectmen
within 30 days of receipt of the order. The Board of Selectmen shall
provide a hearing and an opportunity to be heard for the owner, and
may affirm, modify and affirm, and revoke any such order.