Puyallup, WA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Who maintains it
- Owner or occupant of the abutting property
- Cost
- Repairs are at the owner's own expense
- Banned hazards
- Broken concrete, tree-root damage, defective handrails, debris
- New sidewalks
- City can assess up to 50% of property value
- Injury liability
- Owner liable to city for hazard-caused injuries
- Penalty
- Class I civil infraction, $250.00 default/maximum, per day
Summary
Puyallup Municipal Code § 11.20.040 makes the owner or occupant of property fronting a public sidewalk responsible for keeping it, the curb, gutter, parking strip and driveway apron in good repair at their own cost. Section 11.20.050 goes further, banning specific hazards, from broken concrete to tree-root damage, on the right-of-way in front of that property.
It shall be the duty of the owner or occupant of abutting property to keep the sidewalk, curb, gutter, parking strip and any driveway access the same in good repair at the owner's own expense, and to remove or correct any condition which renders any such sidewalk, curb, gutter, parking strip or driveway unsafe or unfit for use ... It shall be unlawful for the owner and/or person, firm, or corporation occupying or having charge or control of any premises abutting upon any street, alley, or other public right-of-way within the city to construct, place, cause, create, maintain or permit to remain upon any part of the right-of-way lying between the curb line or, if there is no curb line, then between the adjacent edge of the traveled portion of the street roadway and the abutting property line, any object, structure or condition dangerous or hazardous to the use of the right-of-way by the public, including but not limited to the following: ... Defective sidewalk surfaces, including, but not limited to, broken concrete, and/or depressions within or between sidewalk joints, commonly known as toe-stubs
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4985225; v6 updated 2026-07-21; through 07-21-2026).
Full Breakdown
040 states plainly that it is the duty of the owner or occupant of abutting property to keep the sidewalk, curb, gutter, parking strip and any driveway access in good repair at the owner's own expense, and to correct any condition that makes those surfaces unsafe or unfit for use. 050 backs that up with a list of specific hazards an abutter may not create or allow to remain in the right-of-way, including defective sidewalk surfaces such as broken concrete and the joint depressions known as toe-stubs, defects caused by tree roots or overhanging limbs and foliage, foreign matter like gravel or oil on the walk, and defective handrails or fences near the right-of-way.
080. 050 causes injury or property damage, the abutting owner is liable to the city for the resulting costs, including the city's attorney's fees, unless the city created the hazard itself and the owner did nothing to change it. 085.
Violations & Fines
Failing to keep the abutting sidewalk in repair, or letting a listed hazard like broken concrete or tree-root heaving remain, is a Class I civil infraction under § 11.20.085 and Chapter 1.02 PMC, with a $250.00 default/maximum penalty and each day treated as a separate offense. If the city orders a missing sidewalk built under § 11.20.070, the cost becomes a lien on the property, collectible the same way as other local improvement assessments.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for fixing a broken Puyallup sidewalk?
What sidewalk defects actually violate the code?
Can the city force a property owner to build a new sidewalk?
Is the property owner liable if someone is hurt on a bad sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Puyallup
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Sidewalk Repair in Nearby Cities
How other cities in this county handle sidewalk repair.