Pontiac, MI Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Under § 102-126, all sidewalks and driveway approaches between the lot line and the street curb or edge of road, except intersection crosswalks, must be kept in good repair by the abutting property owner in accordance with Chapter 102, Article III (Sidewalk Construction). An owner who neglects to maintain a safe sidewalk is personally liable to the City of Pontiac for any damages the city has to pay someone injured because the walk was unsafe or out of repair. Section 102-127 sets the enforcement mechanism: when the Director of Public Works and Services finds a sidewalk or driveway approach has become a menace to public safety, the director serves the owner, agent or occupant written notice, and the responsible party then has 20 days to build, rebuild or repair the walk to the city's specifications.

If the owner fails to act within the 20 days, the director may have the work done and bill the cost to the owner; if that bill is not paid within 30 days, the city can sue to collect or, under subsection (e), have the City Council determine the chargeable amount and levy it as a single-lot special assessment through the city assessor under §§ 98-22 and 98-23, or create a special assessment district under § 102-135 for larger blocks of repair. Any repair or rebuild also requires a permit from the director under § 102-128, at a council-set fee per 100 square feet, except that isolated repairs of 50 square feet or less need no permit, and construction must be done by a licensed sidewalk builder bonded for $1,000.00 under §§ 102-129 through 102-131.