Richardson, TX Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Who repairs
- Abutting property owner
- Who determines hazard
- Chief building official
- Repair deadline
- 30 days from written notice
- Noncompliance penalty
- Misdemeanor, up to $500/day (Sec. 1-8)
- Injury liability
- Owner primarily liable (Sec. 20-8)
- Cost
- Borne entirely by the owner
Summary
In Richardson, the owner of property abutting a sidewalk, driveway, curb or gutter is on the hook for fixing it once the chief building official finds it defective, unsafe or hazardous. Repairs are due within 30 days of written notice, at the owner's expense, and missing the deadline is a misdemeanor.
When a sidewalk, driveway, curb, gutter or appurtenance becomes defective, unsafe or hazardous, it shall be the duty of the owner of the abutting property to reconstruct or repair same and the expense of such work shall be borne by the abutting property owner. When a sidewalk, driveway, curb, gutter or appurtenance is found to be defective, unsafe or hazardous, the chief building official shall notify the owner of the abutting property to reconstruct or repair same. Any owner who fails to reconstruct or repair such defective, unsafe or hazardous condition within 30 days from the date of the written notice from the chief building official to do so shall be guilty of a misdemeanor.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 35 Update 2).
Full Breakdown
Section 20-11 of the Code of Ordinances puts the repair duty squarely on the abutting property owner: when a sidewalk, driveway, curb, gutter or appurtenance becomes defective, unsafe or hazardous, the owner must reconstruct or repair it at their own expense. The chief building official is the one who makes that call and sends written notice; the owner then has 30 days to act. Ignoring the notice past the deadline is a misdemeanor. This sits inside chapter 20, which the city enacted to keep sidewalks, driveways and curbs safe for pedestrian and vehicular traffic and which the city engineer administers under section 20-4.
A companion rule, section 20-8, goes further on liability: an abutting owner (or a tenant, lessee or anyone making special use of the sidewalk or curb, such as for a loading elevator or downspout drain) is primarily liable in damages for any injury caused by a defective sidewalk or curb, and the city is not deemed to have assumed that liability just because a city inspector reviewed or approved the work. Section 20-12 extends the same owner-pays principle to abandoned driveway approaches, requiring the owner to restore the curb once vehicular access is no longer used.
None of this shifts routine city sidewalk construction onto owners; it targets defects that develop over time, such as cracked, heaved or crumbling concrete that becomes a hazard.
Violations & Fines
Failing to repair a defective, unsafe or hazardous sidewalk, driveway, curb or gutter within 30 days of the chief building official's written notice is a misdemeanor under section 20-11. Because chapter 20 does not set its own dollar amount, the citywide general penalty in section 1-8 applies: a fine of up to $500, with each day the condition continues treated as a separate offense. An injured pedestrian can also pursue the abutting owner directly for damages under section 20-8's liability rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays to fix a cracked sidewalk in front of my Richardson house?
How much time do I get once the city notifies me?
Can I be sued if someone trips on my sidewalk?
What if I stop using my driveway approach?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Richardson
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