[Adopted as Ch. 1022 of the 1979 Codified Ordinances; amended
in its entirety 5-17-2021 by Ord. No. 05172021]
This article supersedes any other conflicting provisions which
may be in effect. However, any other ordinance provisions shall remain
in full force and effect to the extent that those provisions are more
restrictive. If there is any conflict between any of the provisions
of this article, the more restrictive shall apply.
A.
The Borough requires all property owners having sidewalks adjacent
to their property to maintain those sidewalks, including the repair
and replacement when they do not meet the standards as specified herein.
B.
DEFECTIVE SIDEWALK
(1)
(2)
(3)
(4)
SIDEWALK
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
Any public sidewalk exhibiting one or more of the following
characteristics:
Walk has sunken or risen to a height difference of one inch
or more between sections.
Walk is broken or separated into three or more pieces.
Spalling over 50% or a single square of the sidewalk with one
or more depressions equal to one inch or more.
A sidewalk with any part thereof missing to the full depth.
The portion of a street located outside the roadway and may
include paved/concrete footways, curbs and gutters.
C.
The Borough will conduct inspections of sidewalks, with roughly 1/4
of the Borough being inspected prior to June of each year. A list
of defective sidewalks will be presented to the Streets Committee
for recommendation to Council for notification to property owners.
The property owner will have 120 days from the date of notification.
A single appeal for extension can be made to the Borough's Building
Code Official. If granted, the extension cannot exceed an additional
120 days.
A.
In order to guarantee competitive pricing, uniformity in quality
and composition, the Borough will publicly bid sidewalk repair work
in the spring of each year so that a list of qualified contractors
can be available to the property owner.
B.
If no action is taken by the property owner within the time period
specified, then the Borough will take steps to have a contractor complete
the work and bill the property owner for the work and any additional
costs incurred.
C.
In the Historic District of the Borough, the HARB is to have a predetermined
sidewalk color for replacement work so that applications are not warranted.
If the applicant desires to change the color, composition, width or
type of construction material to be used in the construction, reconstruction,
alteration or repair of such sidewalk, curb or gutter, then the HARB
review and certificate of appropriateness process is necessary.
The application required by § 495-3 shall be freely available to the public upon request.
All sidewalks curbs and gutters shall be constructed, reconstructed
and repaired of portland cement concrete only, according to the specifications
determined from time to time by the Borough.
In all cases where sidewalks, curbs and gutters are constructed,
reconstructed or repaired over coal cellars or other excavations under
such sidewalks, curbs or gutters, such sidewalks, curbs and gutters
shall be supported by iron or steel beams or reinforced portland cement
concrete only. In no case shall any support of wood or perishable
material be used.
All sidewalks shall be constructed, reconstructed and repaired
to meet the grade of the neighboring property owner's sidewalk.
The grading thereof is the responsibility of the property owner.
The property owner is permitted to undertake sidewalk repair/replacement
work as long as the work meets the minimum standards for quality,
color and appearance as set forth herein. The property owner must
complete an application for repair through the Borough office so that
the work can be inspected when complete. If work does not meet the
standards set forth herein, the property owner will be responsible
for the cost of having the work redone and any additional expenses
incurred by the Borough.
A.
Each street in the Borough wherein 60% or more of the block-face
or street has sidewalks constructed thereon shall have sidewalks constructed
to the remainder of the street to bring the sidewalk coverage up to
100% or as close to 100% as is reasonably possible. Measurements shall
be made along a single side of the block-face of the street by measuring
the total front footage of a single side of the street upon which
sidewalks are constructed. "Block," as used in this subsection, means
the total front footage of the street measured between any two intersections
of such street with two other ordained streets of the Borough, whether
such intersections are "T" intersections or whether such street intersects
the street to be measured at an angle other than 90°.
B.
For the purpose of this article, sidewalks may exist on one side
of a street for part of a block and then continue on the other side
of a street. In such cases where a sidewalk is divided in part on
both sides of a street, a sidewalk should end at the curb to lead
pedestrians in the direction where the sidewalk is then continued
on the other side of the street.
In the event of noncompliance by the property owner, the Borough
may proceed with having the required work completed. The Borough may
file a municipal claim or lien if all costs and expenses incurred
are not paid by the property owner.
A.
There shall be a minimum of four inches of well-compacted PennDOT
grade 2RC or 2A stone base for the sidewalk.
B.
New and reconstructed sidewalks, curbs and gutters, whether laid
by the adjoining landowner or by the Borough, shall be a single layer
with a minimum thickness of four inches and constructed of air-entrained
portland cement which meets the current Penn DOT standard. Current
standards can be found at the Department of Transportation's
Publication 408/2020 SPECIFICATIONS: specifically, Section 676, Cement
Concrete Sidewalks, and Section 704.1(b)(9). Anyone wishing to get
a copy of these sections may contact the Borough. Cement concrete
sidewalks existing of brick or slate are an exception to this section.
C.
Sidewalks existing of brick or slate are permitted to be releveled
or realigned as an acceptable repair.
