Warrick County, IN Sidewalk & Pedestrian Rules: Sidewalk Repair (2026)

Warrick County Code § 159.01, adopted by Ordinance 2024-18 on October 28, 2024, places 'the responsibility for care, maintenance, and repairs of sidewalks located in unincorporated areas of the county' on 'any landowner whose property abuts a sidewalk.' Section 159.02 spells out what that covers: the abutting landowner must maintain and repair the sidewalk 'at the landowner's own expense, as and when needed,' including repairs of damaged or broken sidewalk, removal of snow and ice, and removal of vehicles, debris, vegetation, or other obstructions. Repairs must also comply with the county's other construction standards for public sidewalks under § 159.01(B).

Section 159.01(C) protects landowners from third-party lawsuits, stating the chapter creates no third-party cause of action against them over sidewalk condition. If a landowner does not act, § 159.03 lets the Board of County Commissioners or its designee give notice in person or by mail, after which the landowner has 30 days to complete repairs; the county runs no routine sidewalk inspections and only responds after notice. If the landowner still fails to repair, the county can hire an independent contractor, then bill the landowner a certified statement of the actual cost, due in full within ten calendar days.

Unpaid invoices are certified to the County Auditor under § 159.03(C) and placed on the landowner's property tax duplicate, collected with the real estate tax bill plus accrued interest. The rule applies only to sidewalks in unincorporated Warrick County; Boonville, Newburgh, and the other towns handle their own sidewalks.