URBANA -- Officials acknowledge there might still be a few things to work out, but they gave preliminary approval on Monday to new regulations requiring property owners in certain areas to shovel their sidewalks.

Council members even expanded Mayor Laurel Prussing's initial proposal to enforce the ordinance only in the city's downtown and university business districts. If the council finalizes its approval in a coming meeting, the rules would also apply to a portion of Philo Road south of Florida Avenue.

Alderman Dennis Roberts, D-Ward 5, said the city needs to change some property owners' mindset and encourage a sense of "civic pride." Sidewalks clear of snow are safer than icy walkways, he said.

"Every time you don't have compliance, you're encouraging people to be in the street," Roberts said.

Alderwoman Heather Stevenson, R-Ward 6, said she anticipates complaints from property owners that the sidewalks are the city's property and responsibility, not their own.

"I can hear my constituents calling right now," Stevenson said.

The proposed rules, which are similar to those already in place in Champaign, would require property owners to clear their sidewalks of snow and ice within 24 hours after the public works director has declared the ordinance to be in effect. The declaration would be made only after 2 inches of snow has accumulated, the storm has stopped and city plows have substantially cleared roads, officials say.

If a property owner fails to comply, the city would hire a contractor to do the work and send a bill for the work, plus an administrative fee. But the initial focus would be on education rather than fines.

"I don't think we have any intention of being heavy-handed with this," said Bart Hagston, environmental sustainabiltity manager.

If approved, council members plan to review the rules in May.

Some residents lauded the changes, and said they looked forward to the sidewalk snow removal requirements being expanded to residential areas.

Esther Patt, a former council member who walks to work at the University of Illinois, said the east side of Lincoln Avenue, a major pedestrian route for students and faculty, is a problem during the winter and needs to be addressed. In fact, the council added the east side of Lincoln Avenue between Springfield and Michigan avenues into the enforceable area following Patt's comment.

Another commenter was not so thrilled.

"If the city hands out the equipment and defibrillators," resident David Berg might be OK with the proposed rules, he said. But otherwise, the regulations are too burdensome if the ordinance were to be expanded into residential areas -- particularly the requirement that the work be completed in 24 hours and that a minimum 4-foot-wide path be cleared.

"Please do recall, if the work's being done, somebody's doing it," Berg said.