Sidewalks are becoming a hot topic since residents with disabilities are struggling with overgrown vegetation, leading the city to crack down on maintenance and issue fines for violations. Some folks appreciate the effort, while others are frustrated by getting citations for minor issues.
Here are the highlights:
- Residents with disabilities report impassable sidewalks as a safety issue.
- The city is increasing sidewalk maintenance and fines for overgrowth.
- One resident received a $100 fine for insufficiently trimmed grass.
- Some residents are unhappy with the enforcement, citing minor violations.
- The city is also increasing parking enforcement, issuing fines and towing vehicles.
- City officials acknowledge limited manpower for proactive policing of sidewalks.
- Complaints trigger most enforcement actions rather than routine inspections.
- Some residents express relief at increased enforcement, while others feel it’s insufficient.
- The city conducts sidewalk inspections and reminders every fall, extended this year due to ADA complaints.
- Residents are responsible for keeping sidewalks passable, adhering to city code rules.
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ADA Concerns Spur Sidewalk Enforcement
Residents with disabilities have cited impassable sidewalks as a safety and quality of life issue, spurring a redoubling of sidewalk maintenance and fines for overgrowth.
One resident hit with a $100 dollar fine for insufficiently trimmed grass along the property's sidewalk wrote, "I thought, wow, I've never seen one of these before. The city's getting serious."
Other residents have been less pleased. "We got hit with a citation for an overgrown bush. I was a little shocked. Don't they have anything better to do?"
The city has also responded to resident complaints about parking enforcement by more aggressively patrolling streets under its jurisdiction, issuing fines, and towing vehicles with multiple citations and expired tags.
City officials have discussed in past budget cycles that its code and police services have enough officers to respond to calls, process paperwork, and make court appearances, but not enough staff to proactively police all 193 miles of city street on a continuing basis.
"Pretty much everything is in response to complaints. We just don't have the manpower to inspect every property on a continuing basis. Calls and complaints are more or less the default enforcement trigger."
Some residents have expressed relief at the stepped up enforcement. Others are saying the city is not being aggressive enough.
In an email to the city, one resident complained that she had to call the city repeatedly over the years about sidewalks partially blocked by vegetation growth along private and public properties.
"My husband's a disabled veteran in a wheelchair. He physically can't use certain sidewalks when they're even partially blocked," the resident wrote.
The city says it normally engages in rounds of sidewalk inspections and public reminders every fall, but this season has been extended by ADA complaints.
"We have to strike a balance between addressing valid passability concerns people have with the reality that a lot of residents just aren't aware that even a little overgrowth can make a sidewalk difficult to navigate for a person in a wheelchair," said city officials.
Under city code rules, residents with sidewalks on their property are responsible for keeping the sidewalks passable from snow and vegetation with a 4 foot width. Learn more about the city code rules here.