Boone County, KY Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing sections
- §§ 97.16-97.21
- Who can petition
- County officer, authority, or 5+ residents
- Hearing window
- 10 to 30 days after complaint
- Enforcement
- County repair plus property lien
- Appeal deadline
- 30 days for Circuit Court injunction
Summary
Boone County Code Sections 97.16 through 97.21 let the Fiscal Court order repair of unsafe or deteriorated sidewalks, and if the responsible owner or party in interest doesn't fix it after notice and a hearing, the county can do the repair itself and place a lien on the property for the cost.
§ 97.16 POWER OF COUNTY TO REPAIR UNFIT SIDEWALKS. Whenever the Fiscal Court of the county finds that there exists in the county sidewalks that are unsafe or hazardous due to deterioration, damage and/or disrepair that the inhabitants of the county, the county may repair the sidewalks in the manner provided herein. ... § 97.21 FAILURE TO COMPLY; REPAIR BY COUNTY; LIEN FOR EXPENSE. If the owner or parties in interest fail to comply with an order to repair, the county officer may cause the sidewalk to be repaired. The cost of repairs shall be a lien upon the property over which the sidewalk passes unless the sidewalk is within the county right-of-way in which event the lien shall be upon the property adjoining the right-of-way over which the sidewalk passes.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: 2025 S-28: Supplement contains: Local legislation current through Ordinance 2025-20, passed 6-17-25; and State legislation current through KRS 2025).
Full Breakdown
18 while placing maintenance responsibility on the adjacent landowner. 16 lets the Fiscal Court repair county sidewalks it finds unsafe or hazardous due to deterioration, damage or disrepair. 19 allows the designated county officer, a county authority, or at least five county residents, to file a petition alleging a sidewalk is unfit; the officer then inspects, and if warranted issues a complaint and schedules a hearing 10 to 30 days out, with the owner and parties in interest entitled to answer and testify. 20 requires a written order specifying the needed repairs and a compliance deadline.
21 is the enforcement backstop: if the owner or parties in interest don't comply, the county officer can have the sidewalk repaired and place a lien for the cost on the property, or on the adjoining property if the sidewalk itself is within the county right-of-way. 23, described in the code as the exclusive remedy.
Violations & Fines
This subchapter carries no criminal fine; enforcement runs through a lien, not a citation. Once the county performs the repair after an owner's or party's failure to comply, Section 97.21 places the repair cost as a lien on the property, or the adjoining property if the sidewalk sits in the county right-of-way. The only recourse is a Circuit Court injunction filed within 30 days of the repair order under Section 97.23.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is responsible for repairing a sidewalk next to my property?
What happens if I ignore an order to repair an unsafe sidewalk?
Can I challenge a Boone County sidewalk repair order?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Boone County
Compare Boone County to another location·View the Kentucky sidewalk & pedestrian rules overview
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