Snow Removal Claims Policy

Howard County’s Department of Public Works makes every effort to plow and salt County roads quickly and safely during all winter weather emergencies. Because of the road conditions during inclement weather, some property damage is unavoidable. The following represents the County’s policy for handling claims for damage to property resulting from the County’s snow removal activities.

Property located within the County right of way.

A. Mailboxes

• County law permits mailboxes to be placed in the County right of way.

• If a mailbox that conforms to County law is damaged as a result of physical contact of a snowplow or other piece of snow removal equipment, the County will pay the cost of replacing the mailbox with a standard issue mailbox.

• If a mailbox is damaged as a result of the weight or impact of snow and ice being moved by a County snowplow, but there has been no physical contact with the box by a piece of County equipment, the County will not assume responsibility for the cost of repair or replacement of the box.

B. Other Structures

• On occasion, structures other than mailboxes may be placed within the County right of way by permit obtained in conformity with the County Code.

• Claims for damage to structures that are permitted to be located in the County right of way and that are built in conformity with the permit will be handled in the same way as claims for damage to mailboxes:

1. The County will pay the cost of repair or replacement if there has been physical contact with the structure;

2. The County will not pay for damage caused by the movement of snow or ice.

• The County assumes no responsibility for damage caused by non-permitted structures located within the County right of way.

C. Landscaping

• Many property owners’ plant and seed within the County right of way adjoining their property. In the ordinary course of removing snow from County roads, damage to this kind of landscaping will occur – from movement of snow and ice, from contact with the equipment, and from salting.

• The County does not assume responsibility for damage to plantings in the County right of way.

• Where the County’s Department of Public Works does maintain the right of way, the Department will repair damage to seeded areas in accordance with its procedures. The County will not, however, pay for any repair or replacement work in the right of way by the owner of private property adjoining or adjacent to the right of way.

Private Property

• Snow removal activities do not usually cause damage to private property adjoining the roads that the County plows, that is, property outside the County’s right of way.

• Any claim that property located outside the County right of way was damaged as a result of the County’s snow removal operations will be investigated, and liability will be determined on a case-by-case basis.

If you believe the County damaged your property due to snow removal activities, please call the Bureau of Highways at (410) 313-7450.

For more information about snow removal, please visit the Bureau of Highways Snow Removal website