Lawrence residents who don’t have their sidewalks clear of snow by Friday morning could face a fine from City Hall.

At 8 a.m. Friday, city officials said, they will start enforcing the ordinance requiring public sidewalks to be clear of snow. But officials said they also plan to be understanding in their enforcement actions.

“We understand there has been a significant snowfall in Lawrence,” said Brian Jimenez, the city’s code enforcement manager. “We will only cite property owners if a complaint has been made and verified by our staff, and it is clear that no reasonable attempt has been made to clear the sidewalks.”

The city ordinance requires property owners to remove snow or ice from public sidewalks that go through their properties within 48 hours after the snow or ice has stopped accumulating.

Property owners in violation of the ordinance can be fined $20 plus courts costs.

People who want to report an uncleared sidewalk can call 832-7700 or visit the city’s website at lawrenceks.org.