Sidewalk liability up

The Mayor and the Board of Trustees passed a law at the July 14 Village Board meeting to make property owners share legal responsibility with the village when people are injured because of unmaintained sidewalks adjacent to their property.

“There have been lots of trips and falls in the recent past,” Trustee Michael Sepe said.

The law applies to businesses and multiple dwellings, not single- and two-family homes

“The village code already has provisions in it where people who own property continuous to a sidewalk – other than one or two family residencies – have the obligation to maintain the sidewalk,” said Village Attorney A. Thomas Levin. “And the village can give notices to those owners or occupants.”

Under the previous laws, property owners could be issued summons and a fine if they do not repair their sidewalks as they are asked. But when someone is injured on an unrepaired sidewalk, the village is liable.

“This law would make the owners and occupants of those adjoining properties liable for this as well,” Levin said.

Sepe also said that Long Beach and other areas have similar laws in which property owners are both responsible for fixing sidewalks and share legal liability if someone is injured.