[1]
Cross References — City engineer, §115.360; throwing litter upon streets, §230.100; motor vehicles and traffic, Title III; parks and recreation board, ch. 120; parks, ch. 225; planning, ch. 400; subdivision regulations, ch. 410.
[Code 1961, §14.08; CC 1983 §24-3]
No person shall erect or cause to be erected any stairway on the outside of any building leading to an upper story in such manner as to occupy or obstruct or interfere in the free use by the public of any public sidewalk, nor shall any person construct or excavate for any areaway, cellarway or stairway leading to any cellar or basement, or other place, or lay, or cause to be laid, any doorstep which extends into, takes up, or interferes with the free and entire use of any sidewalk without first having an ordinance authorizing the same.
[Code 1961 §14.14; CC 1983 §24-4; Ord. No. 815 §1, 10-20-1997]
A. 
The construction, reconstruction, condemnation and repairing of sidewalks within the City, and all matters pertaining thereto may be done at the expense of the abutting property owners and under special ordinances that may be passed governing the same. This Section does not apply to repairs of old sidewalks which are not to be wholly rebuilt or reconstructed.
B. 
No contractor, property owner, or other person shall lay, build, repair, or cause to be laid, built or repaired any concrete sidewalk, gutter or curb without first having obtained a written permit so to do from the Street Commissioner. The permit shall be in the form established by the Council from time to time. The contractor's copy shall be in words and figures identical with that of the permit referred to above.
C. 
The Street Commissioner may refuse to grant a permit to any contractor, or other person who is incompetent or who has failed to comply with the City's specifications regarding mixtures, lines and grades, or whose previous work was done in an unskilled manner. The refusal to grant a permit shall stand until the contractor or other person liable for unskilled work has repaired the same and it has been accepted by the Street Commissioner.
D. 
The location and width of new sidewalks, the manner of constructing the same, and the material of which the same shall be constructed together with the grades thereof shall be determined and fixed by the Council.
E. 
Subject to the provisions of this Section and to the extent the City Council of the City has allocated funds in its annual budget for the purpose of funding cost sharing arrangements with property owners for the construction and repair of sidewalks, the City shall pay property owners the lesser of (a) fifty percent (50%) of the actual cost of such construction or repair, or (b) fifty percent (50%) of the estimated cost based upon standard rates established by the City for such construction or repair. The following procedures shall be followed to obtain cost sharing hereunder:
1. 
The abutting property owner must submit an application to the City Operations Supervisor or his designee. Such application shall provide the following information:
a. 
The location of the construction or repair;
b. 
The specific work to be performed;
c. 
The estimated cost;
d. 
The name of the contractor or other person who will perform the work; and
e. 
Any other information requested by the Operations Supervisor.
2. 
The application must be approved by the City Operations Supervisor prior to commencement of the work. The Operations Supervisor may refuse to approve the application if:
a. 
Sufficient funds are not available in the budget;
b. 
The contractor or other person to perform the work is incompetent or has failed to comply with the City's specifications regarding mixtures, lines and grades, or whose previous work was done in an unskilled manner;
c. 
The application is filed by or on behalf of a subdivision developer, in that this Section is intended to assist individual property owners and not to alter the responsibilities of developers under Chapter 410 of this Code.
3. 
Upon completion of the project, the property owner must submit documentation showing the actual cost of the project. Such cost shall not include any allowance for work performed by the property owner or any member of his/her household.
4. 
The City Code Enforcement Officer shall inspect all such projects and certify to the Operations Supervisor that the City's specifications for sidewalks have been followed. Upon receipt of such certification, the City shall pay the property owner the cost sharing amount provided for herein.