Whenever any street, lane, square, place or alley in the city has been improved by the construction of a sidewalk along either side thereof, the duty, burden and expense of the maintenance, cleaning, repair and renewal of such sidewalk, including the erection and maintenance of suitable barriers of wood, iron or masonry along the outer margin of the sidewalk where the same is elevated more than two feet above the abutting property, shall devolve upon the owner of the private property directly abutting on the sidewalk. (Ord. 1325, Art. I §5, 1980).