Bend, OR Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Duty holder
- Adjacent property owner (BC 3.30.020)
- Liability
- Owner pays if sidewalk defect injures someone
- Reimbursement
- Owner repays City for any claim it pays
- Repair notice
- At least 30 days (BC 3.30.030)
- Nonpayment
- Cost becomes a lien on the property
- Vegetation
- Trim to 8 ft clearance (BC 3.30.040)
Summary
In the City of Bend, the property owner, not the City, must keep the sidewalk abutting their lot in good repair and unobstructed under Bend Code § 3.30.020. Owners are also liable for injuries or damage the sidewalk's condition causes, including reimbursing the City if it pays a claim.
Property owners shall maintain sidewalks adjacent to their property in good repair and unobstructed. Property owners are liable for personal injury or property damage arising from the condition of the adjacent sidewalk. If the City is required to pay damages for personal injury or property damage relating to the condition of a sidewalk, the adjacent property owner shall compensate the City for the full amount of the damages paid and the City's legal fees.
Full Breakdown
010 as the paved portion of the right-of-way for pedestrian use (including the curb where the sidewalk abuts it), must be kept in good repair and unobstructed by the owner of the property it fronts. 020 requires the owner to reimburse the City for the full damages award plus the City's legal fees. 030 lets the City Council order a specific owner to construct, alter, repair, or remove a curb, sidewalk, or driveway approach; the City must give written notice with at least 30 days to finish the work, a deadline that can be shortened to eliminate a safety hazard.
If the owner misses that deadline, the City can do the work itself and place the full cost, including its administrative costs, as a lien against the property. 040: owners must also keep vegetation trimmed back so it doesn't hang below eight feet above the sidewalk surface.
Violations & Fines
Bend Code § 3.30.020 lets the City go to court to enforce the repair and liability duty directly. Under § 3.30.030, failure to repair within the notice period triggers City-performed work billed back to the owner as a lien, collectible the same way as a property tax lien, plus the City's administrative and legal costs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for fixing a broken sidewalk in Bend?
What happens if I don't repair my sidewalk after the City tells me to?
Am I liable if someone trips on the sidewalk in front of my house?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Bend
Compare Bend to another location·View the Oregon sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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