All sidewalks on Philadelphia Street, between
Fifth Street and Ninth Street, shall be paved to the full width, from
building line to curb. All sidewalks along any other portion of any
street of alley shall be paved to a width of four feet, except where
the Public Works Committee shall determine that special conditions
of terrain, pedestrian or vehicular traffic, continuity of sidewalk
width between cross streets or other necessity shall require a sidewalk
paved to a width greater or lesser than four feet, in which case the
Committee shall order such walk to be paved to the width so determined.
When ordering the construction or reconstruction of any sidewalk,
the Committee shall establish the grades and lines thereof and such
sidewalk shall conform in every respect to such orders as to width,
grade and line. Owners of lots located at intersections of streets
and/or alleys shall pave sufficiently beyond the corner of the lot
to join with the paved sidewalk on the intersecting street or alley.
It shall be the duty and responsibility of the
Public Works Committee to determine, in the case of any individual
property, whether or not the abutting sidewalk shall be reconstructed
or repaired, and if so, the specific part or parts to be reconstructed
or repaired. Any property owner receiving an order to reconstruct
or repair may appeal to the Committee to rescind, modify or postpone
the order, and, if dissatisfied with the Committee's response, may
appeal to Council as a whole. A Borough official may at any time during
the course of constructing, reconstructing or repairing any sidewalk,
visit the site at any reasonable time, or when so requested by the
property owner, to ascertain whether the work is being done according
to the Borough's sidewalk construction specifications. If the average
daily temperature is less than 40°, measures shall be taken to
keep the temperature of the concrete not less than 50° for a period
of at least seven days after pouring or three days if high-early-strength
concrete is used. In hot weather, concrete shall be fog-sprayed or
covered with a wet light-colored fabric as soon as hardening of the
surface will permit. Within two working days after the completion
of the work, it shall be the duty of the owner of the property abutting
the sidewalk to notify the Borough Manager of that fact, so that he
or his representative may inspect such sidewalk to determine whether
the work was done in conformity with the requirements of this article
and the Borough's sidewalk specifications.
The owner of property abutting any sidewalk
shall be responsible for maintaining not only the sidewalk itself
but also any surfaces lying between the street curb or edge of the
vehicular pavement and the sidewalk. Such surfaces shall be planted
and maintained in grass, or the owner may appeal to the Public Works
Committee to approve an alternate surfacing, such as a planted ground
cover, or a brick, block, concrete or similar surface, provided such
surface is maintained at the same level as the adjacent top of curb
and sidewalk surfaces.
Any property owner, upon his own initiative and without notice from any Borough authority, may construct, reconstruct or repair a sidewalk in front of or alongside his property, provided that such property owner shall first make application to the Borough Manager or his representative for a permit, and shall conform to all requirements of this article and the Borough's sidewalk construction specifications as to line and grade and as to materials used. The property owner shall notify the Borough Manager as required by §
400-30 above within two working days after completion of the work to request an inspection.
The Public Works Committee may order, as part
of the construction of a new sidewalk or reconstruction of an existing
sidewalk, where the project includes a street intersection, that the
property owner build a handicap ramp connecting the sidewalk surface
and the street curb, depressed to the level of the adjacent street
surface.
Each owner who shall violate the provisions
of this article shall be subject to a monthly fine of not less than
$35 nor more than $100 for the initial month. For each month thereafter,
the fine shall double; providing, however, that the total fine shall
not be more than $500 in any year. Any violator shall be responsible
for the cost of prosecution. Each thirty-day period that the owner
continues to violate the article shall be a separate offense.