Troy’s snow rules, in plain words.
2 inches, 24 hours.
What Troy requires of a homeowner after a snowfall, what the city clears itself, and who to call, each with the page it comes from.
A referral service for Troy homeowners. An automated assistant answers; calls are recorded.
Typical cost: one visit $30 – $70; a seasonal contract $200 – $600 with a cap on visits — national ranges (HomeGuide’s chart, December 2024)
- Cost to call
- Nothing
- Answered by
- Automated assistant
- Hours
- Any hour
Troy clears its own walks. Yours is yours.
The city clears about 22 miles of city owned sidewalk; on a private walk it acts only on a complaint, and bills the owner for the contractor it sends. the council item · the city’s rule
Snow 2 inches or deeper, and any ice, cleared within 24 hours after the storm ends.
What the city requires
- Who: the occupant or owner of every lot beside a street (the city’s rule).
- What: keep the sidewalk clear of ice, and clear snow once it is 2 inches deep or more (the city’s rule).
- When: within 24 hours after the end of the snow or ice event (the city’s rule).
- The penalty: a civil infraction with a fine of up to $500, costs and damages, and each day it continues counts as a new violation (the city’s rule).
- If you don’t: the city may have it cleared and the cost becomes a debt to the city from the owner or occupant (the city’s rule).
- The exemption: a one or two family home addressed on a local street need not clear its side or rear walk along a major thoroughfare (the city’s rule · the list of thoroughfares).
What the city does
- Plow order: major city and county roads, then industrial roads, then school entry roads, then local roads (the city’s snow page).
- Subdivision streets are plowed when snow passes 4 inches; below that the city salts hills, intersections and curves (the city’s snow page).
- Its targets: about 24 hours after the snow stops for 4 to 8 inches, 36 hours for 8 to 12, 48 hours above 12 (the city’s procedures).
- Snow emergency: called when snowfall passes 4 inches; cars off the street until it ends or the road is fully cleared, fineable up to $75 (the city’s snow page).
- Not your driveway: city crews may not use city equipment on private property, and the lump at the end of the drive is the resident’s (the city’s procedures · the city’s snow page).
- Snow on the street is barred by state law, fine up to $100; the city asks residents not to shovel it back into the street (state law · the city’s snow page).
Who to call
- An uncleared sidewalk: the city’s online request portal, an email to planning@troymi.gov, or the planning department at 248-524-3364. Give the address and a description, and wait at least 10 days before asking for a status update (the city’s instruction).
- A dangerous condition on the road, or a damaged mailbox: public works at 248-524-3392 (the city’s snow page).
- A contractor for your own driveway and walk: that is what this site is for. Call, or use the form.
Questions
Is it 2 inches or more than 2?
- The code says 2 inches or greater; the city’s summary page says over 2 inches (the code · the summary). The code is the rule, so clear it at 2.
Does my contractor need a Troy license?
- Troy has no snow plow license; selling the service door to door needs a peddler permit from the City Clerk (the city code).