Whenever any sidewalk adjacent to any property abutting any street or alley within the city shall become out of repair or in any way obstructed so as to interrupt the free passage over the same, the city, through its agents or employees, shall notify the person owning or controlling the property abutting thereon to repair the same or to remove the obstruction. It shall be the duty of such person to comply with such notice within a reasonable period of time.
(1965 Code of Ordinances, Chapter 17, Article IV, Section 17-53)