Council take steps toward sidewalk improvements

Creston officials could affect 214 properties as they consider a sidewalk improvement project. Mayor Gabe Carroll said he hopes the city can come up with a plan to help ease the burden of maintaining their sidewalks, making the updates “as painless as possible.” No action was taken.

In a discussion about sidewalks Feb. 1, Public Works Director Greg Maggard told Creston City Council said the plan includes 21,760 linear feat of new sidewalk at a cost of $992,420 to property owners, with an average cost of $4,637 per property.

“Now that is just an average number,” said Maggard. “That number is not exact because this would all be based off the length of the frontage of your property.”

The city would be responsible for approximately $289,000 of the sidewalk project. This includes 116 ADA compliant pedestrian ramps and 1,200 linear feet of sidewalk on Clark Street, from South Cherry to South Chestnut streets.

Maggard proposed 4-foot wide sidewalks, which are the minimum within the ordinance. The sidewalks were quoted by a contractor to be $12 per square foot.

A map of Creston showed sidewalks in need of repair or replacement marked green. According to Maggard, the routes were chosen for easy connectivity around town and that only one side of the street would feature a repaired or replaced sidewalk in an effort to keep cost down.

The sidewalks identified include:

• North Elm Street – West side of street from Townline to Howard streets

• South Elm Street – West side of street from Union to Taylor streets

• Clark Street – South side of street from Elm to Cherry streets and Cherry to Chestnut streets

• Rainbow Park – Exterior sidewalks

• West Adams Street – North side of street from McKinley to Division streets

• North Sumner Street – West side of street from Adams Avenue to Russell Street

• Russell Street – North side of street from Sumner Avenue to Kirby Street

• McKinley Street – West side of street from Kirby Street to Adams Avenue

• Kirby Street – North side of street from Russell to McKinley streets

• Walnut Street – east side of street from Adams to Howard streets

• Swan Street – south side from Elm to Pine streets

• Townline Street – south side of street from Spruce to Elm streets.

• Spencer Street – north side of street from Summit Street to end.

“A lot of locations where these sidewalks are at are in older locations,” said Maggard. “Ninety percent of them aren’t going to meet the standards, they are broken, too small, they got to be bigger than 3-foot.”

Creston’s sidewalk ordinance was updated in August in an effort to improve walkability and safety. Following the public hearing on a new sidewalk ordinance, Ordinance 22-02, a new definition defining a defective sidewalk was added to section 136.02. Section 136.05 was amended to read:

“If the abutting property owner does not maintain sidewalks as required, the council may serve notice on such owner, by certified mail, requiring the owner to repair, replace or reconstruct sidewalks. A written plan of action much be submitted to the city within 30 days of said notice by the property owner.”

Sidewalks repaired, replaced or constructed must follow the standards outlined in section 136.08.

The cost of sidewalk maintenance, which is the responsibility of the property owner, worries some. As city officials look toward improvements, it is also discussing ways to help ease the burden to pay for upkeep.

“Cities have multiple ways they address property owners to maintain their sidewalks because it is the property owners’ responsibility,” said Mayor Gabe Carroll. “Some of them will do a tax assessment, where, [the city] will pay to put it in and then you pay it back on your taxes, a special assessment over a period of three to five years. Some will do a 50% cost share. It just depends on the city and what they feel they can handle.”

Steve Wintermute asked what happens if property owners are against the improvements.

“I know a lot of property owners that are completely against taxes,” said Carroll. “But this is in our ordinances. It’s their responsibility.”

Councilman Matt Levine said he hopes the council will consider spreading a tax assessment over three to five years, or longer, or consider a cost-sharing program with property owners.

“All we have to do is find the money,” said Councilman Rich Madison.

Carroll reminded the council that the sidewalk ordinance requiring property owners to maintain their sidewalk is not a new ordinance.