City staff told the Public Administration Committee July 20 that they will draft a formal sidewalk-repair policy for council action that would raise an existing homeowner reimbursement cap to $2,500 (from $500), require a 50% match and set an annual program ceiling of $25,000.

Bridal, a city staff member presenting the program overview, said the current informal program has existed for many years but is not codified and has not kept pace with rising construction costs. "The intention is to kind of formalize the policy, have a council review a policy, approve it, and then also allow the reimbursement of an eligible project to be, up to $2,500 instead of the $500," Bridal said.

Under the staff proposal discussed in committee: reimbursements would be paid after applicants submit paid invoices and staff inspections, the city would continue a 50% matching requirement (so a $2,500 reimbursement would require a $5,000 project cost), and projects would be limited in aggregate to $25,000 per fiscal year. Staff said the policy would include eligibility criteria that exclude routine replacement when sidewalks remain functional; the program targets repair of trip hazards, cracking caused by tree roots or expanding soils and other safety concerns. "It would be they do the project and they then show us paid invoices. We go out and inspect that the work was done, and then we would cut a check," Bridal said.

Committee members raised related long-term concerns about tree roots. Michael Pierce, the city's support services supervisor, explained the city's contemporary tree-planting requirements: newer plantings include an approximate two-foot root barrier and an approved street-tree list; the most recent tree detail was adopted about 2013 and is intended to drive roots deeper to reduce sidewalk upheaval. Pierce said older neighborhoods with legacy trees (30–60 years old) are most likely to have sidewalk damage because of trunks or large roots.

Several council members asked staff to review tree-planting specifications and inspection practices to reduce future sidewalk damage. The committee reached consensus that staff should develop the sidewalk-repair policy and take it to the full council, likely in late August or early September.

No ordinance or resolution was adopted at the meeting; staff will return with a draft policy for council consideration.