Harford County, MD Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

The Director of the Department of Public Works has full power under § 225-7(A) to grade and regulate sidewalks along all paved streets, lanes and alleys in the county. When the Director finds a sidewalk improperly graded, unpaved, in bad repair or otherwise defective, § 225-7(B) requires written or printed notice to every person whose property abuts the affected sidewalk, giving them 15 days to show cause why it should not be graded, paved or repaired; if the owner cannot be found, the notice is posted conspicuously on the premises instead.

An owner dissatisfied with the Director's decision may appeal to the County Council within 10 days after the hearing, and the Council's ruling on the necessity of the work is final under § 225-7(C). If there is no appeal, or the Council affirms the Director, the county has the sidewalk graded, paved or repaired, but the owner may instead do the work personally with Director-approved materials within 30 days of the hearing or Council decision, under the Director's supervision and specifications. Once county-performed work is finished, § 225-7(E) requires the Director to record the completion date and total expense, then assess that cost against abutting properties in proportion to how much sidewalk frontage each property has; an owner may appeal the assessment to the County Council within 15 days.

The assessment becomes a lien on the property, collected the same way as real estate taxes, and § 225-7(F) lets the county additionally sue the owner directly for the cost.