Holding Owners' Responsibilities

Private Property and Public Right of Manner

Streets and sidewalks are for anybody's use. They add value to individual property by providing access to the property and a mode to get to other places in the city.

When property is adult, property owners dedicate office of the land as "public right-of-way" for streets, sidewalks, utilities, and similar public uses.

What some property owners practice not realize is that they are responsible for maintaining part of the right-of-way adjacent to their property, including the sidewalk and planting strip, or the roadway shoulder if unimproved. Property owners are as well responsible for maintaining unpaved alleys next to their property.

Sidewalks

Photo of sidewalkProperty owners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks side by side to their holding. They must make sure snowfall and water ice does not pose a hazard to pedestrians. They must as well repair cracks and other damage.

If a belongings owner installs a new concrete sidewalk, the possessor or the contractor must obtain a Street Utilize Permit to make sure the walkway meets the Metropolis's electric current standards, including wheelchair ramps at street corners and proper drainage of the street expanse.

Driveways

Belongings owners are responsible for providing a temporary or permanent driveway and so that vehicles practice non drive over sidewalks, planting strips or curbs. The construction of driveways requires a Street Use Permit, issued by the Dept. of Construction and Inspections.

Streets and Alleys

SDOT maintains roadways that are open for travel. The department maintains them to the level they take been improved. The department does not maintain areas that were defended for streets, but were never improved and opened for travel. Property owners are responsible for any unopened street areas next to their property.

Holding owners also maintain unpaved or unopened alleys, and alleys non paved to Urban center standards. SDOT performs no preventative maintenance on alleys. The department responds to requests for spot repairs on a case by case footing subsequently evaluating necessity for the repair for public safety and for public access.

The City oversees all public rights-of-way and may close whatsoever of these areas that get unsafe.

Most improvements to streets and alleys, such as upgrading or paving surfaces, planting street trees, or installing sidewalks, are accomplished past:

  • Private contract with individual funding
  • Street Apply Allow with private funding and privately maintained

Photo of alley

Safe Use of Street Areas

Construction in, on, under or above a street expanse requires a Street Use Permit. A street expanse includes sidewalks, alleys, triangles and planting strips. Examples of structure which bear upon street right-of-style areas are signs, flag poles, awnings, rockeries, steps, clocks, driveways, and street copse. Use of street areas for other activities such equally block parties and sidewalk cafes likewise requires a Street Use Permit. For more information call 684-5283.

Barriers between Sidewalks and Off-Street Parking

To protect the prophylactic of pedestrians, Metropolis-approved barriers must exist installed to carve up off-street parking from sidewalks. Barriers such as fences and curbs foreclose vehicles from encroaching into pedestrian walkways.

Street Copse

Street copse planted by the Metropolis will exist maintained past the City. All other trees are to be maintained to canonical arbocultural standards by the abutting property owner.

In most cases, trees interfering with vehicle visibility must exist trimmed by the property owner. All trees must be maintained to provide 8 feet of clearance above sidewalks and xiv feet above roadways. Contact Seattle City Lite at 386-1663 if tree limbs are nearly power lines or street lighting. City Light volition make up one's mind if the tree needs to be pruned.

Complaints most tree overgrowth on private property should exist reported to DCI at 684-7899. Tree planting, pruning and tree removal in public rights-of-way requires a Street Use permit. Contact the City Arborist at 684-TREE (8733) for more data.

Weeds, Droppings and Garbage

To protect the wellness and safety of the public, it is important to proceed streets, alleys and sidewalks gratis of obstructions, litter, and other material.

Belongings owners must trim or remove overhanging copse, plants, shrubs, vegetation or droppings which obstruct streets, alleys or sidewalks, or which are a fire hazard. Contact DCI at 684-7899. Pruning or removal of trees from street right-of-way areas requires a Street Use Permit. Contact the City Arborist's Office at 684-TREE (8733).

Holding owners must also prevent rubbish, garbage or waste matter fabric from accumulating on their property, sidewalks, or planting strips, regardless of who put the material there. To written report illegal dumping, call the Seattle Public Utilities Illegal Dumping Hotline at 684-PKUP (684-7587).

Side Sewers

Property owners construct and repair their own side sewers and drainage pipes, under the regulations of the Side Sewer Code. Construction and repair of side sewers within a public street area must be performed by a registered Side Sewer Contractor. Permits for structure and repair are required, and are issued at the DCI Permit Counter.