Concrete removal in Kent
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A lot of Kent concrete jobs start with a letter, not a plan. Kent City Code 6.04.100 requires property owners to keep the sidewalk next to their property fit and safe for public travel. When Kent Public Works finds a panel that isn't, it marks the damaged area with paint and notifies the owner that a repair permit is needed.
If that's how you got here, or you're replacing a driveway that crosses the sidewalk, this page covers what Kent counts as damage, which permits apply and where the broken concrete can go. Tell us about the job and we'll pass it to one local concrete removal contractor. It costs you nothing.
Local facts for Kent
- Owner keeps sidewalk safe
- Kent City Code 6.04.100 requires property owners to keep the sidewalk adjacent to their property fit and safe for public travel, including repairing cracks and other damage. Source: City of Kent: Streets Maintenance and Operations
- Repair triggers
- Kent treats a sidewalk as needing repair if it's cracked, has a fault greater than 1/2 inch, has a piece that moves under ordinary foot pressure, or has a grade or slope Public Works considers unsafe. Source: City of Kent: Streets Maintenance and Operations
- Right-of-way permit
- Kent requires a Right-of-Way Permit for any disturbance in the public right-of-way, which includes streets, sidewalks and shoulders. Source: City of Kent: Engineering Permits
- Building permit exemption
- Sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above adjacent grade, not over a basement and not part of an accessible route don't need a building permit in Kent. Source: City of Kent: Do I Need A Permit?
- County stations
- Bow Lake (18800 Orillia Rd S, Tukwila) and South County (35101 West Valley Hwy, Algona) are King County transfer stations, each with a 40-ft vehicle and trailer limit. Source: King County: Guide to Recycling & Transfer Facilities
What Kent counts as a damaged sidewalk
Kent Public Works lists four conditions that make a sidewalk need repair. Knowing them helps you judge whether the whole run needs to come out or a single panel does.
There are two exceptions where the city does the repair itself: when its own work, such as utility work, caused the damage, and when roots from a tree the city planted along a major street during a capital project lifted the panels. If either applies, raise it with Public Works before paying for removal. You may also see asphalt shims over cracks. Kent describes those as temporary, to make the spot safe until a long-term repair is made.
- The sidewalk is cracked.
- There's a fault or other break in level greater than 1/2 inch.
- Any piece can be moved with ordinary foot pressure.
- Public Works considers the grade or slope a concern for safe pedestrian passage.
The permits involved
Kent splits concrete work between private property and the public right-of-way. On private property, Kent's permit guide lists sidewalks and driveways not more than 30 inches above grade, not over a basement and not part of an accessible route, among the work that doesn't need a building permit.
The right-of-way is different. Kent requires a Right-of-Way Permit for any work in the city right-of-way, which it defines as including public streets, sidewalks and shoulders, and for any disturbance there, with pavement cuts as an example. For sidewalk repairs specifically, Kent says an owner notified by Public Works needs a Street Use Sidewalk repair permit, and an owner fixing an unsafe condition on their own initiative applies for a Street Use/Cut permit.
Applications are submitted electronically through the city's Permit Portal. Development Engineering can be reached on 253-856-5490.
Planning a driveway that crosses the sidewalk
If you're taking out a driveway, the part behind the sidewalk is usually exempt from a building permit, but the apron and any sidewalk panels in front are right-of-way work. Ask contractors to price the two parts separately. That way you can see whether the sidewalk repair Kent may require is in the quote or left for later.
Owners are also responsible for unpaved alleys next to their property, so a driveway that comes off an alley rather than the street isn't exempt from that duty either.
Disposal from Kent
Kent doesn't have a King County transfer station inside the city. The county stations either side are Bow Lake at 18800 Orillia Rd S in Tukwila and South County at 35101 West Valley Hwy in Algona. Both allow vehicle-and-trailer combinations up to 40 feet. Under county rules both refuse dump trucks and dump trailers unless C&D is under 20% of the load, so full loads of broken concrete usually go to a private recycler. Our disposal guide covers those.
Questions about concrete removal in Kent
Who is responsible for sidewalk repair in front of my house in Kent?
The property owner. Kent City Code 6.04.100 requires owners to keep the adjacent sidewalk fit and safe, which includes repairing cracks and other damage.
What permit do I need to fix my sidewalk in Kent?
If Public Works has notified you, a Street Use Sidewalk repair permit. If you're fixing an unsafe condition yourself, Kent says to apply for a Street Use/Cut permit. Both go through the city's Permit Portal.
Do you need a permit to replace a driveway in Kent?
Not a building permit for a driveway 30 inches or less above grade that isn't over a basement or part of an accessible route. The apron and any sidewalk in the public right-of-way still need a Right-of-Way Permit.
Where can I take broken concrete from Kent?
For small loads, King County's Bow Lake station in Tukwila or South County station in Algona, within the county's C&D rules. Dump trucks and dump trailers carrying mostly C&D aren't accepted, so bigger loads go to private recyclers.
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