St. Joseph County, IN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

02, titled "Maintenance" and adopted by Ordinance 23-25 on April 8, 2025, splits the repair duty into two triggers. Its general clause covers private entrances, driveways, curbs and approaches at any time. Its second clause, subsection (B), applies once the county finishes a public right-of-way improvement project: from that point forward, the owner or occupant of the abutting property must keep in repair, and free of obstructions to highway, vehicle or pedestrian traffic, the sidewalks, tree lawns, curbs and private approaches or driveways along their property.

03 layers a separate, continuous housekeeping duty on top of that repair obligation: the owner or occupant must keep the adjacent sidewalk free of leaves, grass, snow, ice, sand, gravel, dirt or other debris "during all seasons of the year," and after any snowfall must clear snow or ice that accumulates on or obstructs the sidewalk to its full paved width within 24 hours. 03(B) puts that snow-clearing duty on whoever occupies the front lower, or ground, floor; if the unit is vacant or the occupant will not clear it, the duty falls back on the property owner. Neither section carries its own fine schedule, so both are enforced through the county's Chapter 10 general penalty provision rather than a repair-specific fine.