Boca Raton, FL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Sec. 23-165, the maintenance and repair policy at the end of the sidewalks and bikeways division, draws a firm line between two types of pedestrian infrastructure. Sidewalk construction located in a public right-of-way is the abutting property owner's responsibility to repair when repair is needed, and that same owner must keep the sidewalk and the adjacent swale area clean and free of trash, debris and foreign materials on an ongoing basis. Shared-use paths get the opposite treatment: a shared-use path built in a city right-of-way is repaired and maintained by the city itself, though the city can also contract to repair and maintain shared-use paths that sit on private property or land owned by other public entities.

The repair obligation sits alongside Sec. 23-162's sidewalk policy, which separately requires the city to notify an owner of an isolated lot missing a sidewalk where neighboring sidewalks are otherwise continuous, giving that owner up to 45 days from receipt of a certified-mail notice to install it at the owner's own cost, with a right to appeal the determination to the planning and zoning board. If the owner does not install the required sidewalk within that window, the city can perform or contract the work and assess the cost against the property as a first lien, foreclosable like any other lien. Sidewalk widths and standards for any replacement work are set by Sec. 23-162(4) and the city's Engineering Design Standards Manual.