Michael Leff shovels ice from the sidewalk in front of Shelley Sloan’s home as part of Serve DC’s Citizen Snow Team volunteer program. (Photo by Matt Cohen)

The D.C Council passed a bill 10-3 today that revises the city’s 90-year-old snow shoveling law, allowing the government to fine people and businesses who do not clear snow from their property.

D.C.’s existing law was all-but unenforced, as it required the city to file a lawsuit against people and businesses who did not clear snow and ice from their property within eight hours. The bill passed Tuesday allows the city to issue $25 fines to residents and $150 fines to businesses.

An amendment from Council Chair Phil Mendelson, accepted as friendly, placed the residential fine at $25, with people over 65 and with disabilities exempted. No fine may be issued until 24 hours after a storm ends, even though the law requires snow and ice removal within eight. An accepted amendment from Councilmember David Catania allowed people over 65 and with disabilities who receive a fine to self-certify that they are exempt from the law.

Mayor-elect Muriel Bowser and Councilmembers Jim Graham and Marion Barry opposed the bill. “I do not think what’s before us is a solution to that problem,” Bowser, the Ward 4 Councilmember, said of the bill.

Mendeslon said that the bill wasn’t a solution to the problem of people and businesses not shoveling their property, but rather “the best approach.”

If signed by Mayor Vincent Gray, the bill would not be enforced until next winter.