Discussion and Review of Tiffin Municipal Code Revisions – Preparation for Setting the Public Hearing — Tiffin City Code - DRAFT

CHAPTER 136 SIDEWALK REGULATIONS 5. “Owner” means the person owning the fee title to property abutting any sidewalk and includes any contract purchaser for purposes of notification required herein. For all other purposes, “owner” includes the lessee, if any. 6. “Portland cement” means any type of cement except bituminous cement. 7. “Sidewalk” means all permanent public walks in business, residential or suburban areas. 8. “Sidewalk improvements” means the construction, reconstruction, repair, replacement, or removal of a public sidewalk or the excavating, filling, or depositing of material in the public right-of-way in connection therewith. 9. “Wood float finish” means a sidewalk finish that is made by smoothing the surface of the sidewalk with a wooden trowel. 136.03 REMOVAL OF SNOW, ICE, AND ACCUMULATIONS. The abutting property owner shall remove snow, ice, and accumulations promptly from sidewalks. If a property owner does not remove snow, ice, or accumulations within 48 hours, the City may do so and assess the costs against the property owner for collection in the same manner as a property tax. The abutting property owner may be liable for damages caused by failure to remove snow, ice, and accumulations promptly from the sidewalk. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.12(2)(b) and (e)) 136.04 PROPERTY OWNER’S RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTENANCE. The abutting property owner shall repair, replace, or reconstruct, or cause to be repaired, replaced, or reconstructed, all broken or defective sidewalks and maintain in a safe and hazard-free condition any sidewalk outside the lot and property lines and inside the curb lines or, in the absence of a curb, any sidewalk between the property line and that portion of the public street used or improved for vehicular purposes. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.12(2)(c)) 136.05 CITY MAY ORDER REPAIRS. If the abutting property owner does not maintain sidewalks as required, the Council may serve notice on such owner, by certified mail, requiring the owner to repair, replace, or reconstruct sidewalks within a reasonable time and if such action is not completed within the time stated in the notice, the Council may require the work to be done and assess the costs against the abutting property for collection in the same manner as a property tax. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 364.12(2)(d) and (e)) 136.06 SIDEWALK CONSTRUCTION ORDERED. The Council may order the construction of permanent sidewalks upon any right-of-way in the City and may specially assess the cost of such improvement to abutting property owners in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 384 of the Code of Iowa. However, when pertaining to subdivision sidewalk improvement installations, the following shall apply: The City shall not order any owner or subdivider to construct permanent sidewalks upon any right-of-way for a period of up to one year from the approval of the final subdivision plat or not before such time as the owner or subdivider has sold 75 percent of the lots in the subdivision, whichever may occur first. This shall not exempt the subdivider or owner from any requirements of the Subdivision Ordinance, including (but not limited to) any requirement of a surety bond or escrow agreement or requirements involved with the transference of a lot without constructing improvements. (Code of Iowa, Sec. 384.38) CODE OF ORDINANCES, TIFFIN, IOWA - 1130 -