Miami Beach, FL Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Sec. 98-166 defines the swale area as the strip between the property line and the back of the street curb or edge of the paved roadway, and it places an ongoing maintenance duty on both owners and occupants of property abutting that area. For rental property, the occupant is held jointly and severally liable along with the owner for compliance. Every owner of unimproved property, and every occupant and owner of improved property, must maintain sidewalks, grass strips, alleys up to the median point, curbs, swale areas, and rights-of-way up to the pavement edge in a clean and litter-free condition.

Every merchant, storekeeper or business operator must sweep the sidewalk adjacent to their place of business, and keep sweeping as often as necessary, on every day the business operates; swept debris must be picked up, not swept into the gutter, which is separately barred under section 46-92. The section also regulates what can sit in the swale area: round concrete buttons are allowed, but triangular concrete buttons are prohibited, and any other object of any size or material placed there is deemed hazardous. Enforcement runs through the citywide code enforcement procedure in section 1-14, with fines that escalate for repeat violations within a 12-month window, and appeals from a code compliance officer's citation go through chapter 30.