De Pere, WI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Section 22-6 splits sidewalk repair responsibility three ways. Subsection (a) lets the board of public works order any sidewalk that is unsafe, defective or insufficient to be repaired or removed and replaced to the standards set by the director of public works; that order is served on the owner or an agent of the abutting lot under the notice procedure in Wis. Stats. § 66.0907. If the owner neglects to lay, remove, replace or repair the sidewalk within the time given in the notice, the city can do the work itself and charge the owner for it.

Subsection (b) carves out an exception the ordinance calls city terrace trees: where the city forester reasonably determines that a sidewalk defect is caused by a city-owned terrace tree, the city completes the laying, removal, replacement and repair itself, including any other adjoining sidewalk repair work made necessary by that tree damage, at city expense. Repair work not attributable to the terrace tree is still billed to the property owner, and an unpaid invoice becomes a special charge against the real property under Wis. Stats. § 66.0627 if it is not paid by October 1 of the year it was invoiced.

Subsection (c) gives the board of public works a shortcut for small jobs: when the repair cost will not exceed $100.00, the board can repair the sidewalk immediately without prior notice to the owner or a formal contract letting, and still charge that cost to the owner under the same Wis. Stats. § 66.0627 special-charge procedure.