Sandy Springs, GA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Who must repair
- Abutting property owner
- Trigger
- Development-linked inspection under Sec. 50-30
- Standard
- Current city design specifications, materials included
- Ongoing duty
- Maintain grass/landscaping between sidewalk and curb
- Drainage rule
- No roof or gutter water shed onto sidewalk
Summary
Sandy Springs puts sidewalk repair and upkeep on the abutting property owner. City Code Section 50-31 requires the owner to fix or rebuild a deficient sidewalk along the property's full street frontage whenever land or building development triggers an inspection, and separately requires the owner to maintain the grass strip between the sidewalk and the curb.
(a)For any land or building development where sidewalks are required as outlined in section 50-30, and there is an existing sidewalk along the road or street frontage, an inspection of the sidewalk is made by the director of the department of public works or his agent. 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 including material revisions, such as concrete to brick, as required by the director of the department of public works.(b)The property owner is required to maintain the sidewalk along the entire lot frontage by maintaining the grass or landscaping installed between the sidewalk and the edge or curb of the roadway. This section applies to newly created sidewalks.(c)No person is permitted to erect any drain, gutter, downspout, valley, flat, or sloping roof of any character that will in any manner drain or shed water on any sidewalk of this city.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 24 | Development Code: Supplement 2 | Technical Manuals: Supplement 4).
Full Breakdown
Section 50-31 closes out Article I of Chapter 50 and works together with Section 50-30's rule on when sidewalks must be installed. Under subsection (a), whenever a land or building development requires a sidewalk under Section 50-30 and one already exists along the frontage, the director of the Department of Public Works or an agent inspects it; if the sidewalk is deficient or missing along any part of the frontage, the property owner must construct or repair it to current design specifications, which can include a material change such as concrete to brick, as the director requires.
Subsection (b) imposes an ongoing maintenance duty distinct from that inspection: owners must maintain the grass or landscaping strip between the sidewalk and the curb along their entire lot frontage, and the section applies to newly created sidewalks. Subsection (c) adds a drainage rule, barring any drain, gutter, downspout, valley, or sloping roof that sheds water onto a city sidewalk. Sidewalk installation itself is required for development, land disturbance, and building permits, subdivisions creating a new street, and nonresidential subdivision or combination plats under Section 50-30(c), while new or renovated single-family homes not on a new subdivision street are exempt from installing a sidewalk outright.
Violations & Fines
Failing to repair a deficient sidewalk after a Section 50-31(a) inspection, letting the curb-strip landscaping go unmaintained under subsection (b), or shedding roof or gutter water onto the sidewalk under subsection (c) is enforced by the Department of Public Works and punished under the Chapter 50, Article I general penalty in Section 50-1, which applies the citywide schedule in Section 1-10.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for fixing a broken sidewalk in Sandy Springs?
Does the city inspect sidewalks that aren't being redeveloped?
Can I let my gutter drain onto the public sidewalk?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Sandy Springs
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How other cities in Fulton County handle sidewalk repair.