Shoreline, WA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Cost of repair
- Borne by the abutting property owner
- Governing section
- SMC § 12.05.020(B)
- Council authority
- Can order repair under Ch. 35.68 RCW (§ 12.05.040)
- Alternative path
- Repair tied to a land use/construction permit
- Nonpayment remedy
- Lien against the property
Summary
Shoreline places both the duty and the bill for sidewalk upkeep on the property next to it. SMC § 12.05.020(B) states the burden and expense of constructing, maintaining and repairing a sidewalk "shall fall upon and be borne by the property directly abutting thereon," and the city council can order repairs done through a local improvement district if public safety requires it.
B. Expense of Maintenance and Repair To Be Borne by Abutting Property Owner Thereof. The burden and expense of constructing, maintaining and repairing sidewalks along the side of any street or other public place shall fall upon and be borne by the property directly abutting thereon.
Full Breakdown
Section 12.05.020(B) of the Shoreline Municipal Code is explicit that the abutting property, not the city, carries the cost of building and fixing the sidewalk along it. When the city manager or designee reports that public convenience or safety requires a sidewalk be built or repaired, § 12.05.040 lets the city council order the work through the local improvement district process in Chapter 35.68 RCW, or alternatively require the work as a condition of a land use or construction permit; either way the cost falls on the abutting owner "to the extent deemed reasonable and appropriate" by the council.
"Abutting property" is defined in § 12.05.010 as any property with frontage on a public right-of-way, and "owner" includes an agent or representative holding legal or equitable title. Because the repair duty and the maintenance duty share one section, an owner who ignores a defect can face both an abatement order for the immediate hazard and a council-ordered repair project for the underlying sidewalk condition, with the same cost-shifting rule applying to both.
Violations & Fines
SMC § 12.05.050 directs police, street and development services staff to enforce this chapter. If a property owner fails or refuses to abate a sidewalk condition after the city council's resolution, the city may abate it and, per Chapter 35.68 RCW procedures referenced in the same section, recover its costs from the owner, up to and including a lien on the property.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who pays to fix a broken sidewalk in Shoreline?
Can the city force an owner to repair a sidewalk?
What if the owner won't pay or make the repair?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Shoreline
Compare Shoreline to another location·View the Washington sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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Sidewalk Repair in Nearby Cities
How other cities in King County handle sidewalk repair.