§ 30-56. Construction and repair of sidewalks.

(a)

Board may order. The village board may determine that sidewalks or curb and gutter may be constructed, laid, rebuilt or repaired along or upon any public street, right-of-way or highway within the village. The village board may determine or change the width or grade of any street or sidewalk.

(b)

Apportionment of costs. Where required by the village board, it shall be the duty of the abutting owner to build, repair, construct and perpetually maintain sidewalks along or upon any street, alley or highway in the village and for the owner to pay 50 percent and the village 50 percent of the cost of repair or reconstruction. Sidewalks in new subdivisions shall be installed pursuant to appendix B, pertaining to subdivisions. Whenever the village board shall, by resolution, determine that a sidewalk be laid, rebuilt, repaired, lowered or raised along or upon any public street, alley or highway within the village, it shall proceed according to Wis. Stats. § 66.0907. Abutting landowners of sidewalks will be subject to paying 50 percent of removal costs.

(c)

Permit required. No person shall hereafter lay, remove, replace or repair any public sidewalk within the village unless he is under contract with the village to do such work or has obtained a permit therefor from the village clerk-treasurer at least three days before work is proposed to be undertaken. No fee shall be charged for such permits.

(d)

Standard specifications for sidewalks. The following provisions shall be the standard specifications for sidewalks in the village.

(1)

General. Concrete sidewalk construction shall meet the specifications and provisions set forth in this section and shall be constructed in locations and to line and grade as established by the village.

(2)

Grading. Prior to construction, ground on which sidewalks are to be placed shall be brought to within three inches of subgrade by the contractor.

(3)

Subgrade. Subgrade shall be three inches of sand fill, thoroughly and uniformly compacted and brought to correct grade placing of concrete and thoroughly wet down immediately before concrete is placed. Soft and unsuitable subgrade material shall be removed and replaced with sand or other satisfactory material, and the subgrade shall be thoroughly and uniformly compacted and moistened immediately before the concrete is placed.

(4)

Concrete. The minimum quantity of cement per cubic yard shall be six 94-pound sacks. Concrete shall be mixed for at least one minute. Gravel shall be of good quality and washed. Concrete shall test 2,000 pounds compression in 28 days.

(5)

Jointing. Expansion joints one-half-inch thick and four feet wide shall be placed at 50 foot maximum intervals. At all places where a walk intersects another walk or curbline, a one-half-inch expansion joint shall be placed.

(6)

Slope. To provide adequate drainage, the sidewalk shall slope toward the curb at a minimum rate of one-fourth inch per foot of width of sidewalk. All joints and edges shall be finished with a one-fourth inch radius edging tool. Sidewalks shall be constructed within the limits of the street, and unless otherwise specifically indicated, there shall be a six-inch strip of street property left between the property line and the edge of the sidewalk.

(7)

Width and thickness. Residential walks shall be five feet in width and not less than four inches thick except within driveway approaches where the minimum thickness shall be six inches, provided that walks in residential areas may be repaired or replaced to a width not less than the existing width on the effective date of the ordinance from which this section is derived. Sidewalks in front of commercial or industrial establishments shall be not less than eight feet in width and five inches in thickness, except within driveway approaches where the minimum thickness shall be seven inches. Where possible, sidewalks shall be located nine feet from the curb. One-half-inch reinforcement rod shall be used when replacing or repairing sidewalks over alley entrances.

(8)

Finishing. The concrete shall be struck off true to grade, finished smooth and given a broom finish. All edges shall be rounded. No tool marks shall be left on exposed surfaces. In case of rain, the walk shall be covered to protect the surface from being damaged. Walks shall be kept free from all traffic at normal temperatures for 48 hours and in cold weather, below 50 degrees Fahrenheit for 96 hours. No concrete shall be poured when the temperature may be expected to fall below 35 degrees Fahrenheit in any 72-hour period or upon frozen subgrade.

(9)

Curing. Concrete shall be kept moist by sprinkling, covering or a combination of both for a minimum of five days.

(10)

Higher standards. Where deemed necessary by the village, higher sidewalk standards may be required by the village board.

(e)

Repair or replacement of defective sidewalks. Pursuant to Wis. Stats. § 66.0907, the village board may order at any time property owners to repair or remove and replace any sidewalk which is unsafe, defective or insufficient. If the property owner shall fail to so repair or remove and replace such sidewalk within 30 days after service of the notice provided in Wis. Stats. § 66.0907, the village board shall repair or construct such sidewalk and the village clerk-treasurer shall enter the total cost thereof upon the tax roll as a special assessment against said lot or parcel of land. If a life-threatening situation exists which is caused by a sidewalk in need of repair, the village board or its designee shall direct the property owner to make repairs within seven days. If the property owner shall fail to repair such sidewalk within the required period, the village board shall make the necessary repairs and the village clerk-treasurer shall enter the total cost thereof on the tax roll as a special tax against said parcel.

(f)

Illegal sidewalks. No sidewalk which shall be constructed contrary to the provisions of this section shall be considered a legal sidewalk and the same may be ordered to be replaced with a legal sidewalk and with one that is in conformity with this section, the same as if no sidewalk whatever had been built or constructed in the place where any such sidewalk is located.

(Code 1990, § 6-2-2; Amd. of 6-16-2008)