After a storm in late January dumped more than a foot of snow in some spots around Lancaster County, Lancaster city resident Anthony Smart contacted the Watchdog for help clearing up a couple of snow-related questions.

Smart, who lives on North Plum Street, wants to know: 1) Who is responsible for shoveling out the corners by the crosswalks; and 2) Who is going to fix the snowplow-damaged sidewalk on his street?

Regarding the first question about who clears snow on the corners, the Watchdog sort of understands Smart’s conundrum, given street corners don’t technically “front” anyone’s property, and given snowplows during heavy snows have been known to push snow onto street corners to clear the roadways.

There are two answers here, depending on where you live in the city. If you live in the heart of downtown, you’re in luck.

“In the Downtown Investment District, staff from Lancaster City Alliance assist with corners and openings to crosswalks,” city communications manager Amber Strazzo Righter said via email.

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The Downtown Investment District covers about 20 blocks surrounding Penn Square and stretching north to the 300 block of North Queen Street. You can find a map of the district at lanc.news/DIDmap.

Otherwise, the city’s snow and ice removal policy is pretty clear here: “Property owners are required to clear their sidewalks and the openings to any crosswalks of snow and ice within five hours of the end of the snow. If the snow ends overnight, the property owner has until 10 a.m. Do not shovel snow into the street. If there is a fire hydrant or storm drain in front of or near your property, please clear them.”

So if you own a corner property, the cost of extra windows is extra shoveling.

On snowy days, it pays to be a renter.

Regarding the second question about snowplow damage to sidewalks, city property owners are usually responsible for sidewalk repairs, but in the case of snowplow damage to sidewalks, property owners do have some recourse.

City officials say residents should report suspected damage as soon as possible.

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“If a sidewalk, or any other property, is damaged by a plow in Lancaster city, the person affected should reach out to the city at info@cityoflancasterpa.gov with details about the incident and any photos or videos they have,” Strazzo Righter said.

If the city is determined to be at fault, residents can file an insurance claim through the city’s provider. Exactly how the city determines who is at fault is still a bit of a mystery.

Asked whether the city follows a standard investigation process for snowplow damage complaints, officials did not provide specifics.

“Every situation is different, which is why if someone has an issue they should reach out to us directly,” Strazzo Righter said.

Send that email, Mr. Smart, and please let the Watchdog know if you get any satisfaction.

Notice problems? Email the Lancaster Watchdog at watchdog@lnpnews.com or go to LancasterOnline.com/watchdog and tell us about it.