Spokane County, WA Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Who repairs
- Abutting commercial property owner
- Trigger
- New building permit or use change
- Scope
- Broken or off-grade curb, gutter, sidewalk
- Governing section
- SCC 9.75.310(a)(2)
- Related requirement
- Curb ramps for disabled access, § 9.75.320
- Sidewalk exception
- Cul-de-sacs under 400 feet
Summary
Spokane County's road standards put sidewalk repair on the commercial property owner, not the county, whenever the owner pulls a building permit or changes the use of a building on a road that already has curb, gutter, or sidewalk. The owner must replace any broken or off-grade sections before the project moves forward.
9.75.310 - Curbs, sidewalks and pathways. ... (2)If roads abutting commercial property have concrete curb and gutter and/or sidewalks for which the following actions are requested:(A)A building permit for a new building; or(B)Change in use of an existing building. The owner shall replace broken or off-grade curb and gutter and/or sidewalks. The project sponsor shall remove or replace all driveways not conforming to this chapter as directed by the county engineer.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 63).
Full Breakdown
310 of the Spokane County Code, part of the road construction standards adopted under Resolution 99-0265, requires concrete curb, gutter, and sidewalk on both sides of new public roads in urban, commercial, and industrial zones, with an exception for cul-de-sac roads under four hundred feet. The county engineer can also require sidewalk or curb and gutter in rural areas expected to see pedestrian traffic, including arterial roads, schools, parks, churches, and shopping areas. The repair trigger sits in subsection (a)(2): if a road abutting commercial property already has curb, gutter, or sidewalk and the owner requests a building permit for a new building or a change in use of an existing building, the owner must replace any broken or off-grade curb, gutter, or sidewalk, and the project sponsor must remove or replace any driveways that no longer conform to the chapter, as directed by the county engineer.
Subsection (a)(3) adds that where new curb creates a wider road than the existing pavement, the gap between old pavement and new curb must be paved to match the new grade. 320 separately requires curb ramps for disabled persons at all street corners and other crosswalk locations built or rebuilt under this chapter, built to the county's standard "Curb Ramp" plan.
Violations & Fines
The county engineer will not sign off on the building permit or change-of-use approval until the required curb, gutter, sidewalk, and driveway repairs are completed to the standards in Section 9.75.310, and the engineer directs the specific removal or replacement of any nonconforming driveway as a condition of the permit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has to fix a broken sidewalk in front of a Spokane County business?
Does Spokane County build sidewalks on every road?
Can the county require a sidewalk on a rural road?
What happens to the driveway if the sidewalk is rebuilt?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Spokane County
Compare Spokane County to another location·View the Washington sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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