Sidewalk Repair and/or Replacement Policy

 

Goals:

Newer areas (those built after about 1958) within HACH have sidewalks constructed in the County right-of-way. Maintenance of the sidewalk is the responsibility of the owner of the property adjacent to the right-of-way.

The goal of the sidewalk policy is to provide HACH homeowners definitions of conditions of disrepair, as well as criteria for replacement/repair of sidewalks and the process involved. The intended result is:

  • Increased safety of neighborhood pedestrians (and reduced liability exposure of homeowners)

  • Compliance with Washington County building standards

  • A mechanism to trigger homeowners to respond to neighbor complaints or area audits performed by the Board of Directors or Office staff.

 Policy:

Conditions requiring replacement/repair:  The following conditions are considered a violation of sidewalk policy and will trigger a letter from the Association office.

  • A height difference between sidewalk squares/panels of greater than ½ inch is considered a trip hazard (Washington County tolerance is smaller). The measurement is taken at the greatest difference of the two panels if they are not level with each other.

  • Cracks, holes or separations between panels that are long enough to catch up a pedestrian’s shoe and greater than ½ inch with a depth of ½ inch or more are considered a trip hazard.

  • Sidewalks more than 4 inches higher than grade are considered a fall hazard.

  • Sidewalk areas sunken enough to hold water turn into a slip hazard when frozen.

  • Cement driveway approaches, being in the County right-of-way, follow the same criteria as sidewalks.

Replacement/Repair:

Sidewalk replacement or repairs can be done either by the homeowner or a hired contractor. Once started, the repair process must be completed in a timely manner – blocking off a sidewalk area for weeks at a time is unacceptable.

  • Ramping or skin patching of low areas with cement is not an acceptable repair.

  • Grinding is not encouraged, but the County’s goal is to reduce trip hazards. Grinding of trip hazards of 1 inch or less is an acceptable repair if sufficient cement remains to support traffic without cracking. Grinding needs to “feather” onto the high side panel at the rate of at least 13 inches of travel per inch ground down, to prevent simply creating a different kind of trip hazard.

  • Replacement of cement typically is done in full panels, after the panel requiring work has been removed. Partial panels can be removed, but all replacement cement needs to be full depth (4 inches minimum).

  • If tree roots have caused the damage, the homeowner should consult an arborist prior to any root cutting or removal. Damage to the tree is the homeowner’s responsibility. If a street tree needs removal, please see the HACH Street Tree Policy (separate permit required).

PerPermit:

  • An Association permit, approved by Association office staff, is required to indicate to the Association that the violation is being dealt with. Include a site plan drawn to scale showing the location of the sidewalk repair and estimated start and finish dates, even if the work needs to be scheduled in the future due to budget, weather, etc.

  • A Washington County building permit ($40) is required to replace a sidewalk or portion of a sidewalk. This ensures compliance with building code, ADA requirements and triggers the inspection and approval processes. It is the responsibility of the homeowner (or homeowner’s contractor) to arrange the County permit.

  

Adopted by Board of Directors 

Mark Swan, President

Homes Association of Cedar Hills,     

Date: ____7/14/2015__________