Roswell, GA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

' For single-family development requiring new streets, sidewalks must run along both sides of the new public or private street, built to AASHTO and ADA standards, and the director of transportation must accept the construction before a certificate of occupancy issues. For non-single-family development, sidewalks must be shown on the design and development plans and installed along the full street frontage as the director of transportation requires. Where topography creates a special hardship, the director may accept a payment in lieu of construction, using a calculation method the mayor and council approve.

The director must set the sidewalk at least five feet from the edge of pavement or back of curb, though a practical difficulty can shrink that to as close as two feet with city or council authorization. Critically, the section also reaches existing sidewalks: 'where sidewalks are required as outlined above and there is an existing sidewalk along the road or street frontage, an inspection of the sidewalk shall be made by the director of transportation,' and 'if the inspection shows the sidewalk is deficient or does not exist along the entire frontage, the owner must construct or repair the sidewalk to current design specifications' whenever that owner pulls a development or building permit.

' Accessory structures, minor repairs, and lots in established communities originally built without sidewalks are exempted from the installation trigger unless the community development director requires it.