As of: February 9, 2024, 11:45 a.m
By: Josef Hornsteiner
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A duty in winter: Residents must clear snow from the sidewalk in front of their property.
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Seniors complain that sidewalks in Oberammergau are poorly cleared of snow.
Senior citizen representative Karl-Heinz Götz suggests sanctions.
Oberammergau - As beautiful as the snow is, if it is not cleared away, the sidewalks can become dangerously slippery for pedestrians.
Older people in particular are at risk of slipping and injuring themselves.
Oberammergau's senior citizen representative Karl-Heinz Götz (non-party electoral community) can tell you a thing or two about it.
During his consultation hours every second Thursday of the month for older Oberammergauers (2 p.m. to 4 p.m.) in the Pilatushaus, people often ask him about the fact that some homeowners do not fulfill their obligations and do not clear the sidewalk in front of their property at all or only do so poorly.
Götz therefore used the last building, environment and energy committee meeting to remind owners of their obligations in the winter.
Sidewalks belong to the municipality.
However, like many other towns, Oberammergau also uses the opportunity to shift its responsibility onto the homeowners.
They then generally have to vacate unless they outsource this task to third-party providers or to the tenants.
The latter is regulated by the rental agreement.
In principle, the sidewalks must be free of snow on weekdays between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m. and on Sundays and public holidays between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
So you ensure that the paths can be used safely.
Owners must take necessary precautions in the event of hazards
According to civil law, anyone who is responsible for a source of danger must take the necessary precautions to protect third parties.
This also includes keeping the sidewalks in a safe condition for traffic in winter.
In the case of private roads, this traffic safety obligation falls on the property owner(s).
On public roads and paths, the municipalities are generally responsible for clearing and spreading.
In order to maintain public safety, the municipalities can, in accordance with Article 51 paragraph 5 of the Bavarian Roads and Highways Act, transfer the obligation incumbent on them to the owners of the adjacent properties by ordinance, which is used in Oberammergau.
Senior citizen's representative demands red card for clearing grumpy
But what do you do if people don't stick to it? asked Götz questioningly.
He has an idea: “I once heard that there are communities where a red card is thrown in the mailbox in such cases,” he told the committee.
If the property is not evacuated, the municipality can issue a warning.
If nothing happens even after this request, the municipality sends construction yard employees to take care of the route - the invoice is then thrown into the mailbox.
“We would be happy to talk about that,” said Mayor Andreas Rödl (CSU).
Because in summer it is the same problem with vegetation.
Here, too, residents would have to trim their hedges so that the sidewalks can be easily passed.
But Götz knows that other problems also arise.
“There are certainly homeowners who are older and alone.
They simply can no longer clear the house themselves,” explains Götz to the Tagblatt.
“They often cannot afford to pay someone to do this work.” Here too, a permanent solution would have to be found for everyone.