Sidewalk Replacement Program

About the Sidewalk Replacement Program

Under Chesterfield Township’s Sidewalk Ordinance, property owners are responsible for keeping sidewalks adjacent to their property in good repair.   It is not the responsibility of the Township to repair sidewalks.

The Township may require a property owner to replace sidewalks as necessary and/or assess the cost for replacement if the property owner fails to replace the sidewalks upon notification. 

To assist residents, the Township may conduct a Sidewalk Inspection and Replacement Program for a specific geographic area. Under this scenario, sidewalks within a defined area (such as a neighborhood) are inspected by the Township and property owners are notified of needed repairs.  The Township has been divided into six (6) regions with the intent to repair all sidewalks within a six (6) year cycle.  Each year a region will be inspected and property owners notified within that region of any defects present.

The information regarding properties with sidewalks in need of repair and associated pictures are saved by the Township.  Location, defect information and photographs are available electronically, if requested. If more information is required by the property owner, please contact the Township’s engineering firm, Spalding-DeDecker, at (248) 844-6279 or at sidewalks@chesterfieldtwp.org.  Notification letters sent to homeowners include an estimated quantity and cost of replacements and indicate the time, date and location of a Public Hearing, which is conducted by the Board of Trustees. This Public Hearing is meant to hear your concerns and to begin the process of creating the assessment roll for your sidewalk repairs.

After the Public Hearing, property owners have 30 days to complete the sidewalks replacements on their own, pursuant to Township construction standards linked below.  If a property owner decides to complete the sidewalk replacement with a contractor of their choice, notification must be made to sidewalks@chesterfieldtwp.org within the timeline set by the Public Hearing notice. When notifying the Township of intent to replace the sidewalk flags on your own, please list sidewalk improvements and the number of flags to be replaced as well as name and address.  

Once the sidewalk replacement by a private contractor is completed, the property owner must notify either the Township Engineer via the sidewalks@chesterfieldtwp.org of completion in order to schedule a sidewalk inspection by the Township Engineer.

Alternatively, property owners may allow the Township to make the replacements for the cost listed in the notification letter and/or approved at the Public Hearing. 

Typically, the Township uses a private contractor to do the replacements throughout the designated area which typically saves money for property owners and ensures a better outcome. 

Once the sidewalk construction is completed, the property owners will be assessed for the construction value and have the option for a five (5) year assessment payback from the Township to pay off the construction value.

For more information, please call the Township Engineer for the sidewalk program at (248) 844-6279 or email sidewalks@chesterfieldtwp.org.