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ord-11-2024-sidewalk ordinance 1.pdf

Ordinance November 7, 2024 · 4 page(s)

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TOWN COUNCIL OF CENTREVILLE
ORDINANCE 11-2024
AN ORDINANCE OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF CENTREVILLE AMENDING
CHAPTER 134 OF THE CODE OF THE TOWN OF CENTREVILLE
REGARDING SIDEWALKS IN THE TOWN OF CENTREVILLE
WHEREAS, the Town Council of Centreville is authorized by § 5-202 of the Local
Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to adopt ordinances to protect the
health, comfort, and convenience of residents of the Town of Centreville and by § 5-217 of the
Local Government Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland to adopt ordinances requiring
property owners to keep the sidewalks clean and free from snow, ice or other obstructions; and
WHEREAS, Section 804 of the Charter of the Town of Centreville authorizes the Town
Council to adopt Code provisions regarding sidewalks in Town; and
WHEREAS, the Town of Centreville wishes to amend the current provisions of Chapter
134 of the Code of the Town of Centreville regarding sidewalks.
NOW, THEREFORE, be it ordained by the Town Council of Centreville:
Section 1. The recitals set forth above are incorporated herein by reference and made a part of this
Ordinance.
Section 2. Articles I and II of Chapter 134 of the Code of the Town of Centreville are hereby
amended as follows:
134-1 Notification Of Property Owners Of Intent To Alter Property Owner Requirement to
Build, Repair or Alter Sidewalks; Removal Of Hazards
1. It shall be the duty of all owners of property abutting or adjacent to any sidewalk or curb,
whether sidewalk or curb is in a public way or subject to public easement, to maintain
the sidewalk and driveway aprons in good repair, and to clear all growth of grass and
weeds within the sidewalk and apron.
2. In the event that the Town Manager shall determine that sidewalks in the Town, streets,
drainage systems, or street and sidewalk lights are needed or are in need of repair,
maintenance or alteration, then the Town, its employees, agents and assigns shall have the
right of entry, for the purpose of accomplishing said work at reasonable hours, upon any
premises in the Town which abuts a Town street or sidewalk for the benefit of the public.
Work done pursuant to this section may include the construction and repair of public streets
and sidewalks, drainage systems, public utility systems, the location or relocation of water,
sewer, electric, telephone and cable transmission lines, street and sidewalk lights,
landscaping, as well as maintaining existing entrances from public and private property to
the street and sidewalks, and to do all things necessary to accomplish same. Tthe Town
shall notify the property owner in writing, at his or her address as shown on the Town
assessment records by ordinary mail, as to the intent of the Town Manager requirement of
the property owner regarding the construction for new sidewalks or repair or altering of
sidewalks on that street. The notice shall provide the time period for compliance with the
requirements.

3. All hazards to the pedestrians or vehicles, such as fire hydrants, poles, signs, guide wires,
etc., belonging to the Town shall be relocated to the least hazardous location available. All
hazards, such as shrubbery, fences, signs, etc., belonging to the property owner shall be
relocated by the property owner within 30 days after notification by the Town
Commissioners or will be moved by the Town at the owner's expense unless a reasonable
agreement has been concluded between the property owner and the Town Commissioners
in writing.
134-2 Specifications To Be Set By Commissioners Town Council
The Town Commissioners Council will set forth such specifications as to the width, type of
construction and the cost per foot at the time of notification. These specifications and costs will be
determined at the time of planning.
134-3 Request For Hearing By Property Owner
The property owner may request a hearing before the Town Commissioners Centreville Board of
Zoning Appeals within 10 days after receipt of notification to show good cause why he or she
should not comply with the plans or specifications as set forth. Such hearing shall be held at the
next regular meeting of the Centreville Board of Zoning Appeals under the provisions set forth
in Chapter 170 of the Code of the Town of Centreville Commissioners after request of the
property owner. Failure to make a request will indicate the willingness of the property owner to
comply with the plans and specifications for the new sidewalks or the repair or altering of existing
sidewalks and will be an authorization by him or her for the completion of the plan by the Town
Commissioners if the property owner fails to comply in the time period given in the notice.
134-4 Permit To Install Sidewalks
The property owner may also request a permit to install new sidewalks fronting on his property,
provided that installation is complete within 30 days after such permit is granted. No permit is
necessary for repairs to existing sidewalks unless such sidewalks are planned to be altered.
134-5 Minimum Standards
The minimum standards for the construction of sidewalks shall be as follows:
1. Sidewalks shall be not less than four inches thick of approved material, such as concrete,
brick set in concrete, or any other suitable material as may be designated for a given area,
to be placed on a base of sand or suitable material, not less than two inches thick.
2. Concrete shall be finished with a course finish. Expansion joints shall be placed at uniform
intervals from five to eight feet.
3. Sidewalk height shall be the height of the curb with not less than one-fourth-inch slope or
more than one-half-inch slope in five feet of width.
4. Curb entrances for both residential and commercial frontages to be as follows:
1. Maximum width for 100 feet of frontage shall be no more than two twenty-five-
foot entrances. Each entrance to be placed five feet from the property line and have
a distance of 40 feet between the entrances.
2. Maximum width for a two-hundred-foot frontage shall be no more than two
entrances up to 35 feet in width, placed five feet from the property line and have a
distance of 120 feet between the entrance. Frontage of more than 200 feet will be
permitted two entrances with a minimum of 120 feet between them.
3. Frontages of less than 100 feet but more than 60 feet shall be permitted one entrance
not to exceed 25 feet in width, placed five feet from the property line on either side.

4. Frontage of 60 feet or less will be permitted one entrance not to exceed 16 feet in
width.
5. No entrance shall be less than five feet from the curb radius of an intersection.
6. All sidewalks across entrances shall be of approved material not less than six inches
thick.
134-6 Failure Of Property Owner To Comply; Costs
Upon failure of any property owner to comply with the provisions of this article, the Town
Commissioners shall is authorized to cause the construction, repair or altering of the sidewalk to
be made and shall charge the cost of same against the property as a lien thereon, collectible in the
same manner as Town taxes or by action at law; provided, however, that before said cost shall be
determined and become a lien, the property owner shall be notified by ordinary mail of the placing
of the lien. of a hearing to be held before the Town Commissioners Council wherein he shall
show cause, if any, why said costs shall not be assessed against him and a determination of costs
shall be made by the Town Commissioners and the property owners so informed. Any property
owner feeling aggrieved by said determination of costs shall have the right to appeal to the Circuit
Court for the county within 30 days after the date of the determination. The Town, its employees,
agents and assigns shall have the right of entry, for the purpose of accomplishing said work at
reasonable hours, upon any premises in the Town which abuts a Town or State street or sidewalk
for the benefit of the public. Work done pursuant to this section may include the construction
and repair of public streets and sidewalks, drainage systems, public utility systems, the location
or relocation of water, sewer, electric, telephone and cable transmission lines, street and
sidewalk lights, landscaping, as well as maintaining existing entrances from public and private
property to the street and sidewalks, and to do all things necessary to accomplish same.
134-7 Time Limit For Removal
The owners of any premises in the Town of Centreville on business and commercial zone
properties that has a sidewalk or footpath used by the public shall remove all snow and ice from
said sidewalk within 24 hours following the cessation of the snowfall.
134-8 Liability
Whenever any premises situated in the Town of Centreville shall not be kept free of snow and ice
as set forth in § 134-7 above, the Town Council of Centreville is not in any way responsible or
liable for the removal of the snow and ice or any accidents caused by the nonremoval of the snow
and ice or any accidents caused by the nonremoval of the same in that the individual property
owner is completely liable and responsible for the same.
134-9 Violations And Penalties
Violation of the provisions of this article shall constitute a municipal infraction, subject to the
penalties provided in § 1-14.B.5.a of the Town Code.
(Language to be deleted from the existing Code is indicated in strikethrough format and language
to added is indicated by bold italics text)
Section 3. If any section, subsection, sentence, clause or phrase of this ordinance or of the codes
hereby adopted are, for any reason, held to be unconstitutional, such decision shall not affect the
validity of the remaining portions of this Ordinance or those codes.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall become effective twenty (20) days after its enactment.

ATTEST: THE TOWN COUNCIL OF CENTREVILLE
____________________________________
R. Gaye Adams Ashley Heffernan Kaiser, Esq., President
Town Clerk
_____________________________________
First Reading: Eric B. Johnson, Jr., Vice President
Second Reading:
Enacted:
Effective: _____________________________________
Daniel B. Worth, Member
_____________________________________
Jim A. Beauchamp, Member
______________________________________
Jeffrey D. Kiel, Member