Whenever it is necessary, for the convenience of any person owning land abutting upon a public highway, to make a change in any pavement, gutter or curbing of stone, cement or other concrete, for the purpose of providing a driveway or entrance to his or her premises, such person shall apply in writing to the director of public works, stating the work to be done, and the director of public works shall examine such street or highway and make an estimate of the labor and material necessary to make the proposed change, including supervision, and shall make a statement of the estimated cost thereof to the director of finance, who shall send a copy thereof to such person and require such person to deposit with the city treasurer a sum of money equal to the estimated cost before any work shall be done or material furnished.
(Prior code § 27-1)
Upon notice from the city treasurer that the deposit required by the preceding section has been made, the director of public works shall cause the work to be done and keep an accurate account of labor and materials with reasonable cost of supervision of the same for each application, and on completion of the work shall send a statement to the director of finance.
(Prior code § 27-2)
The city treasurer, upon receipt of an order or orders from the city auditor, shall pay from the sum of money deposited the several bills, costs and charges against the respective applicants for such work, and within ten (10) days after final payment return the balance of such deposit, if any, to the respective persons.
(Prior code § 27-3)
No curbing in the city shall be installed by any contractor or individual without first filing an application with the director public works requesting permission to do such installation and must conform with required ordinance of the city.
(Prior code § 27-3.1)
Any sidewalk, or part thereof, adjoining any building or lot of land on any street, highway, square or public place, whether which sidewalk, or part thereof, is supported by curbing or not, shall be repaired by the director of public works, at the expense of the abutting owner of such building or lot in the way and manner hereinafter provided.
(Prior code § 27-4)
Whenever any hole, depression or obstruction exists in any sidewalk referred to in the preceding section, the director of public works may make such orders as he or she may deem expedient, directing the owner of land abutting on such sidewalk at the owner's own expense to fill or cause to be filled any such hole or depression, or to remove any such obstruction thereon, within such time as the director of public works shall in such order direct. Such order shall be in writing and be served upon the abutting owner or owners as directed by Section 2 of Chapter 879 of the Public Laws of 1912.
(Prior code § 27-5)
If any owner of abutting land shall refuse or neglect to obey any order referred to in the preceding section, within twenty-four (24) hours after such order has been served upon him or her in writing, or within such other time as the director of public works shall deem to be reasonable, the director of public works shall proceed at the expense of the city to repair, with materials suitable and satisfactory to him or her, such sidewalk. The director of public works shall keep an exact account of the cost of labor, material and supervision of work done hereunder, in making such repairs for each owner, and shall report to the city council immediately upon completion of the work.
(Prior code § 27-6)
A. 
A cost share program is hereby established pursuant to which homeowners in the city will be eligible, subject to availability of capital and general operating funds, to have their sidewalks repaired under a cost sharing program subject to the following procedures, restrictions, and conditions. Priority shall be given to sidewalks within three-quarters of a mile of an elementary school.
B. 
This cost share program shall be limited to residential units of four units or less.
C. 
No commercial properties shall be eligible for participation in this cost share program.
D. 
This cost share program will only be for the replacement of existing sidewalks in the city. No new sidewalks shall be eligible for approval under this program. The existing sidewalks that are eligible for this program shall only be for sidewalks running parallel to the roadway in the public right-of-way. Sidewalks running from the front door of the property are not eligible under this program.
E. 
The property owner will be responsible for the entire cost of the sidewalk with the city reimbursing the property owner on a set unit based fee per square foot subject to fiscal limitations. The reimbursement rates will be six dollars and fifty cents ($6.50) per square foot for concrete sidewalks and four dollars ($4.00) per square foot for asphalt sidewalks. Property owners who are determined to be low income by the comprehensive community action program shall be eligible, upon delivery to the director of public works, or his or her designee, documentation sufficient to demonstrate said low income determination, for a reimbursement rate of ninety-nine percent (99%) for the cost of construction. Property owner-occupied or immediate household members who are physically disabled, who are considered disabled pursuant to the American with Disabilities Act 1990, shall be eligible for a reimbursement rate of ninety-nine percent (99%). In no case shall reimbursement exceed the cost of construction.
F. 
The property owner shall be responsible for hiring a contractor who is licensed by the State of Rhode Island Contractors Registration and Licensing Board. The contractor shall also be required to show proof of liability insurance as well as proof of workers compensation insurance.
G. 
The contractor selected by the property owner to perform the sidewalk repairs shall be required to obtain a right-of-way permit from the Cranston Department of Public Works. All fees for this right-of-way permit shall be waived under this program. The contractor shall be required to provide proof of registration with the Rhode Island Contractors Registration and Licensing Board and shall be required to provide proof of the required insurances. This proof of registration with the Rhode Island Contractors Registration and Licensing Board and proof of the required insurances shall be presented to the department of public works during the application process for the cost share program for sidewalk reconstruction. The right-of-way permit shall be issued with a requirement that the contractor install the replacement sidewalk in accordance with the specifications of the city of Cranston. Sidewalks replaced under this program shall be replaced to match the materials of the existing sidewalk.
H. 
Upon completion of the sidewalk reconstruction work, the property owner shall submit to the department of public works a completion statement and request for reimbursement on the forms provided by the department of public works. A city staff member shall visit the site of the reconstructed sidewalk to inspect the work for conformance to the city specifications and shall verify the total square feet of sidewalk replaced. Upon approval by the department of public works that the sidewalk conforms with the conditions of this program as well as to the city of Cranston sidewalk specifications, the department of public works shall submit a payment application to the director of finance for direct payment to the property owner.
I. 
The reimbursement rates to be paid to the owner under the cost share program for sidewalk reconstruction shall be set by the Cranston city council at different rates for concrete sidewalks and asphalt sidewalks based upon the recommendations of the director of the department of public works and the finance director.
(Ord. 2015-4, § 1, 2/23/2015; Ord. 2015-10, § 1, 4/27/2015; Ord. 2017-24, § 1, 6/26/2017; Ord. 2024-17, § 1, 8/26/2024; Ord. No. 2024-29, 12/16/2024)