Kitsap County, WA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing chapter
- KCC Chapter 9.28, Sidewalk Maintenance
- Who is liable
- Occupant (residential) or owner (commercial/vacant)
- Duty covers
- Snow, ice, obstructions, grease, oil, vegetation
- Max fine
- $250 per day, per § 9.28.040
- Applies to
- Unincorporated Kitsap County only
- Enforcement path
- Civil nuisance action or prosecutor abatement
Summary
In unincorporated Kitsap County, the property abutting a sidewalk, not the county, must keep that sidewalk clear. Kitsap County Code § 9.28.020 makes the abutting occupant or owner responsible for removing snow, ice, obstructions, grease, oil and vegetation from the walk.
An abutter shall keep abutting sidewalks free of snow, ice, structures, obstructions, grease, oil and vegetation.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4864424; v0 updated 2025-12-08; through 12-08-2025).
Full Breakdown
010 as the occupant of a single-family residence or duplex, or the owner of a multifamily residence, office, commercial building, vacant building or unimproved land whose property touches the sidewalk. "Sidewalk" is limited to a walk that has been accepted into the county road system, meaning the county carries no maintenance obligation for it until acceptance. 020 shifts day-to-day upkeep to the abutter: the sidewalk must be kept free of snow, ice, structures, obstructions, grease, oil and vegetation. 030 declares any breach of the chapter a public nuisance, enforceable either by a mandatory injunction brought by a neighboring landowner or by the Kitsap County prosecuting attorney, who may commence abatement, removal and enjoinment proceedings directly in court.
This chapter applies only within unincorporated Kitsap County; Bremerton, Port Orchard, Poulsbo and Bainbridge Island enforce their own sidewalk codes. The rule traces to Ordinance 102, adopted in 1985, and has not been substantively amended since.
Violations & Fines
Violating Chapter 9.28 is a misdemeanor under § 9.28.040, punishable by a fine of not more than $250. Each day, or portion of a day, that an obstruction or hazard remains on the sidewalk counts as a separate offense, so an uncleared walk can generate a new violation daily. The prosecuting attorney may also pursue civil nuisance abatement under § 9.28.030 instead of, or in addition to, criminal prosecution.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to shovel snow off a sidewalk in unincorporated Kitsap County?
Does Kitsap County maintain all sidewalks itself?
What happens if an abutter never clears the sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Kitsap County
Compare Kitsap County to another location·View the Washington sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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