All new sidewalks or sidewalks built to replace existing sidewalks in public street rights-of-way shall be constructed of cement concrete, or other equally durable material as may be approved by the City Engineer. Where design of existing roadway and/or sidewalk includes permeable surfacing, material selection shall be based on achieving a design which achieves the same or better infiltration performance as the existing design and is in compliance with applicable City standards, unless approved otherwise by the City Engineer. Nothing in this chapter shall prohibit the construction and maintenance of wooden sidewalks or walkways on bridges and viaducts within the City, or the construction of temporary wooden walks in conjunction with construction sites.
(Ord. 24052 § 1, 1988-03-05; Ord. 28330 Ex. B, 2015-11-24)
Whenever a portion, not longer than one block in length, of any street (the word “street” as used herein includes any boulevard, avenue, street, alley, way, lane, square, or place) is not improved by the construction of a sidewalk thereon (the word “sidewalk” as used herein includes any and all structures or forms of street improvement included in the space between the street margin and the roadway), or the sidewalk thereon has become unfit or unsafe for purposes of public travel, and such street adjacent to both ends of said portion is so improved and in good repair, and the City Council, by resolution, finds that the improvement of such portion by the construction or reconstruction of a sidewalk thereon is necessary for the public safety and convenience, the duty, burden, and expense of constructing or reconstructing such sidewalk shall devolve upon the property directly abutting upon such portion (the terms “property directly abutting” or “abutting property,” as used herein, shall be deemed to be all property having a frontage upon the sides or margins of any such portion); provided that such abutting property shall not be charged with any costs of construction or reconstruction under this chapter in excess of 50 percent of the valuation of such abutting property, exclusive of improvements thereon, according to the valuation last placed upon it for purpose of general taxation.
(Ord. 24052 § 1, 1988-03-05)
Whenever the City Council has adopted such resolution, it shall cause a notice to be served upon the owner of the property directly abutting on such portion of such street, instructing said owner to construct or reconstruct a sidewalk on such portion in accordance with plans and specifications which shall be attached to such notice. Such notice shall be served by delivering it in person to the owner or leaving it at his/her home with a person of suitable age and discretion then resident therein, or with an agent of such owner, authorized to collect rentals on such property, or, if such owner is a nonresident of the State of Washington, by mailing a copy to his/her last known address, or, if such owner is unknown or if his/her address is unknown, by posting a copy in a conspicuous place on such portion of said street where such improvement is to be made. Such notice shall specify a reasonable time within which such construction or reconstruction shall be made, and shall state that, in case the owner fails to make the same within such time, the City will proceed to make the same through its Department of Public Works and, at a subsequent date to be definitely stated in said notice, said department will report to the City Council an assessment roll showing the lot or parcel of land directly abutting on such portion of such street so improved, the cost of such improvement, the name of the owner, if known, and that the City Council, at the time stated in the notice, or at the time or times to which the same may be adjourned, will hear any and all protests against the proposed assessment. Upon the expiration of the time fixed within which the owner is required to construct or reconstruct such sidewalk, if the owner has failed to perform such work, the City may proceed to perform such work and shall, within the time fixed in said notice, report to the City Council an assessment roll showing the lot or parcel of land directly abutting on such portion of such street so improved, the cost of such work, and the name of the owner, if known. The City Council shall, at the time in such notice designated, or at an adjourned time or times, assess the cost of such improvement against said property, and shall fix the time and manner for payment thereof, which said assessment shall become a lien upon said property and shall be collected in the manner provided by law for collection of local improvement assessments under Title 35 RCW.
(Ord. 24052 § 1, 1988-03-05)
An abutting property shall not be charged with the costs of reconstruction if the reconstruction is required to correct deterioration or damage to the sidewalk that is the direct result of actions by the City or its agents, or to correct deterioration of, or damage to, the sidewalk that is the direct result of the failure of the City to enforce its ordinances. This section shall not be effective until June 5, 1996.
(Ord. 25912 § 1, 1996-06-02)