Sidewalk Maintenance Program Policy and Operating Guidelines

Sidewalks have a way of tying together a neighborhood. Realtors will attest that where sidewalks are good, the neighborhood becomes a more desirable place to live. Sidewalks serve so many purposes: recreation space for joggers and children with tricycles and pull toys, an informal meeting place for neighbors, and an encouragement for people to make more use of the most basic form of transportation – walking.

Be proud of your sidewalks. Take care of them and enjoy them.

Affidavit of Posting

Appeal Process All disagreements and appeals for sidewalk postings, which cannot be resolved by the Sidewalk Inspectors, will be directed to the Inspector’s Supervisor.

Appendix A - Excerpts from the City of Portland Charter and City Code City of Portland Charter and Code

Assessment Approximately twenty days after the date of the Proposed Assessment notice, the City will conduct a public hearing to consider the final assessment of sidewalk repair costs.

City Repair (City Contractor Repairs) The goal of the Sidewalk Maintenance Program is to repair sidewalks, driveway approaches, corners, and curbs in the city right-of-way.

Complaints Information received regarding hazardous sidewalk conditions in the city right-of-way at a specific location will be transferred to a TrackIT form and given to a Sidewalk Inspector for investigation

Financing The City Auditor mails an installment payment contract with each final assessment notice.

Inspection Requirements

Intent to Repair (10 Day Letter) The "Notice of Unrepaired Posting" letter is mailed a minimum of two weeks before the City contractor is scheduled to begin work in the area

Legal Authority The City Code, adopted by ordinance of the City Council, sets specific requirements for sidewalks and curbs

Notification Property owners will be provided with the original copy of the Sidewalk Repair Notice

Operating Policy To assure that the Sidewalk Maintenance Program meets its intended goals

Permits A free permit is available to encourage all property owners to make their own repairs or hire a contractor to make repairs

Posting Program The goal of the Sidewalk Posting Program is to identify pedestrian hazards and assist the property owner with the repair process

Program Goal

Re-Check & Mark Out Prior to scheduling repairs to be made by City Contractors, all postings in the quarter section to be repaired, will be re-checked

Repair Charges The repair amount is calculated to recover all direct costs and applicable overheads.

Senior Citizen Deferral of Assessment The State of Oregon offers a program in which a Senior Citizen may defer paying a sidewalk repair assessment for as long as he or she owns and lives at the property that was affected by the repair work.

Time Extentions Requests for time extensions will be granted if reasonable cause exists

Tradition of Good Sidewalks Sidewalks remain today one of the City’s great assets

Transit Mall and Light Rail The Transit Mall and similar areas where the pedestrian area is paved with brick are posted using the following guidelines

Trees To ensure that the trees are not damaged due to root removal or injury, the operating policy follows