City mulls proposal to make area more friendly for feet
But sidewalk plan could give some wallets a pounding
Daniel J. Chacón, Rocky Mountain News
Friday, December 8, 2006
With nearly 20 percent of its streets lined with shabby sidewalks or no sidewalks at all, Denver is considering a plan to build a smoother connection on the ground.
Denver's plan to create a "more connected and walkable city" could cost you thousands of dollars.
Under the proposal, people who pull building permits on projects exceeding $100,000 will have to repair a sidewalk if the sidewalk along their property is in bad shape.
People with properties that don't have an existing sidewalk can either build the sidewalk to city standards or pay the city an estimated $3,000 to $5,000 fee in lieu of constructing the sidewalk.
If they live along one of the city's 31 parkways, their only choice is to pay the fee because of unique guidelines that apply to parkways.
The fees the city collects would be used to build sidewalks in priority areas, which haven't been identified but are likely to include bus routes.
"We're talking about a small percentage of homeowners (who) are directly affected by this (proposal), and the only ones who are affected are people who come in to ask the city for a permit," said Jason Longsdorf, a public works planner.
"There's nothing retroactive," he added.
The city came up with the proposed $100,000 trigger so the cost of the sidewalk would be a "minimal increment" compared with the overall project, Longsdorf said.
"We don't ever want somebody to come in to do a $2,000 carport addition and get stuck with $5,000 worth of sidewalk," he said.
On Wednesday, the city's Public Works Department said it planned to exempt Crestmoor Park from the proposed rules.
Residents of the east Denver neighborhood, which has wide streets and few sidewalks, had flooded city officials with e-mails opposing the proposal.
Ann Williams, a public works spokeswoman, said Thursday the department was being sensitive to the neighborhood's character.
"We're trying to be responsive," she said, adding that residents can voice their concerns about the proposal at a public hearing next week.
Sidewalk hearing
What: Public hearing
Why: Denver is weighing a proposal to fix sidewalks in disrepair and build new ones.
When: 6 p.m. Wednesday
Where: Wellington E. Webb Municipal Office Building, 201 W. Colfax Ave., Room 4.F.6
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