(a) Purpose. Sidewalk standards promote public health, safety and welfare by:
(1) Improving access to homes, parks, schools, businesses and public buildings;
(2) Reducing the need to use motorized vehicles for short trips;
(3) Improving safety by separating pedestrian and vehicle traffic;
(4) Improving access to public transit; and
(5) Improving opportunities for exercise that can lead to improved public health.
(b) Where required.
(1) Public sidewalks. All new development or significant redevelopment must construct public sidewalks and provide sidewalk easements conforming to the standards of this section and approved by the city parallel and adjacent to any public street abutting the development site and where otherwise specified on the sidewalk plan of the city or through condition of approval. The following exceptions apply.
(A) Individual single- and two-family dwellings. Construction of a streetside public sidewalk is not required for redevelopment or expansion of an individual single- or two-family dwelling where no sidewalk was previously present; however a sidewalk easement, petition and waiver of assessment hearing for potential future construction must be provided for construction of new two-family dwellings.
(B) Residential subdivisions. The City Council has the authority to waive the streetside public sidewalk requirement for single- and two-family residential subdivisions where the proposed sidewalks would not connect with an existing network of sidewalks, although a sidewalk easement, petition and waiver of assessment hearing for potential future construction must be provided despite the waiver.
(C) Nonresidential development. The City Council has the authority to defer the construction of public sidewalks for nonresidential development provided:
(i) The proposed sidewalks would not connect with an existing network of sidewalks;
(ii) A sidewalk easement is provided for future sidewalk construction;
(iii) The Council finds a sidewalk along the development site to have little or no short term public benefit given the characteristics of the site and surrounding neighborhood; and
(iv) The landowner completes an agreement with the city that commits the landowner and all future landowners to accept assessment against the property of potential future sidewalk construction costs.
(2) Private sidewalks. All new development or significant redevelopment must construct private sidewalks conforming to the standards of this section in the following locations internal to a development site.
(A) A sidewalk must link the primary entrance of each building on site with the public sidewalk network. In the event a building is subdivided into multiple separated tenant spaces, a sidewalk must link the primary entrance of each separated tenant space with the public sidewalk network.
(B) When there is more than one building on a site, a sidewalk must link the primary building entrances of each building to one another.
(C) When applicable, a sidewalk must link the primary building entrance with existing or future development on adjacent sites.
(D) When an existing or proposed transit stop or station is on-site or on an adjacent site, a sidewalk must link the primary building entrance with the transit stop or station.
(E) To promote safety, required internal sidewalks must be separated from vehicle drive aisles except where sidewalks cross vehicle drive aisles. Appropriate crossing treatments including, but not limited to, color, striping, texture or raised surface must be provided where warranted by anticipated pedestrian volumes.
(3) Significant redevelopment. For the purposes of this section, SIGNIFICANT REDEVELOPMENT is defined as either a full redevelopment of a site or an addition that would increase total floor area on a site by 25% or more.
(c) Construction. Construction of sidewalks conforming to the standards of this section is the responsibility of the developer and must be completed prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
(d) Design standards. Except for private sidewalks on single- and two-family residential sites, sidewalks must conform to the following design standards.
(1) Width.
(A) Public sidewalks. Public sidewalks must have an unobstructed, walkable width (see Figure 21.301.04(f) below) equal to or greater than the following standards. Additional width is encouraged in appropriate areas to accommodate outdoor seating, benches, landscaping, light posts, trash receptacles, bicycle parking and similar pedestrian oriented infrastructure. The City Council may require greater sidewalk width through condition of approval when greater width is deemed necessary to meet anticipated pedestrian needs or federal or state standards:
(i) Adjacent to local street: six feet;
(ii) Adjacent to collector or arterial street: eight feet; and
(iii) Not adjacent to street: determined case by case.
(B) Private sidewalks. Private sidewalks must have an unobstructed, walkable width equal to or greater than five feet. Additional width is encouraged in appropriate areas to accommodate outdoor seating, benches, landscaping, light posts, trash receptacles, bicycle parking and similar pedestrian oriented infrastructure. The City Council may require greater sidewalk width through condition of approval when greater width is deemed necessary to meet anticipated pedestrian needs.
(C) Curb cuts. Sidewalk curb cuts must be at least five feet in width.
(2) Slope. Sidewalk slope must meet the standards of the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act.
(3) Materials. All sidewalks must be constructed of concrete unless the City Engineer approves an alternative material. Public sidewalks must conform to the standard city sidewalk detail.
(4) Boulevard provided. To improve pedestrian safety and provide area for snow storage and landscaping, sidewalks adjacent to streets must be separated from the street with a boulevard area of at least five feet. The City Engineer may increase the required boulevard width for special circumstances and may reduce the required boulevard width due to physical hardships or where necessary easements are not in place.
(5) Conformance with streetscape plans. In areas for which a district or street specific streetscape plan has been adopted by the City Council, sidewalks must conform to the design standards of the streetscape plan. In the event of a conflict between the sidewalk standards presented in this section and the sidewalk standards of an adopted streetscape plan, the streetscape plan standards supercede.
(6) Curves and angles. Except at street corners, sidewalks must avoid sharp turns or angles which would make automated snow removal difficult.
(7) Vehicle overhang. Sidewalks and nearby vehicle parking areas must be designed to avoid vehicle overhang or encroachment into public sidewalks and into the required unobstructed, walkable sidewalk width for private sidewalks.
(8) General requirements. Sidewalks must meet the standards of the Federal Americans with Disabilities Act and must meet city sidewalk specifications.
(9) Nonconformities. Requirements for nonconformities are set forth in § 21.504 of this code.
(e) Maintenance. Sidewalks must be maintained according to the following standards.
(1) Snow removal. See Chapter 17, Division D, Snow Removal for applicable standards.
(2) Replacement. Sidewalks must be replaced or repaired when heaved, cracked or deteriorated in a manner that poses a safety hazard.
(3) Obstruction. Sidewalks must be kept clear of obstructions including, but not limited to, debris, construction materials and parked vehicles. Parked bicycles, electric vehicle chargers, and signs must not encroach on the minimum unobstructed, walkable sidewalk width specified in subsection (d)(1) above.
(f) Graphic illustrations.
(1) Unobstructed, walkable sidewalk width.
(g) Private sidewalks for new uses without new development or significant redevelopment. When the City Engineer or its designee determines that a new use that does not involve new development or significant redevelopment is likely to increase the amount of pedestrian traffic coming to the site relative to the previous use and a public sidewalk exists adjacent to the site, the property owner must provide a sidewalk link conforming to the standards of this section between the public sidewalk and either the entrance to the new use or the parking lot used by the new use.