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Residents urge Lebanon City Council to address deteriorating sidewalks; officials note enforcement limits
Summary
A resident urged the council to help replace badly deteriorated sidewalks on the North Side; council and staff described prior efforts, the city’s enforcement process and the homeowner responsibility under city code.
Cindy Schlegel, a resident of 571 Guilford Street, told the Lebanon City Council on April 28, 2025, that sidewalks on the city’s North Side are ‘‘really bad’’ and asked the city to help residents find an affordable path to repair and replace damaged sidewalks.
Schlegel said she has lived at her address for about 40 years and raised safety and accessibility concerns for strollers, wheelchairs and pedestrians, urging the council to make rental-property owners and businesses more accountable and to explore collective options that could lower repair costs.
During the public comment period Schlegel said, "You have got to replace these sidewalks" and described crushed stone and concrete that she said prevents sweeping and creates hazards. She said many North Side properties are rentals and suggested the city help homeowners and landlords coordinate repairs to get better contractor pricing.
Mayor and staff responded that sidewalk maintenance is generally the property owner’s responsibility and noted the city has previously paired neighbors with contractors ahead of resurfacing projects to reduce costs. The mayor said inspectors and the Public Safety Department will work with Public Works to issue notices when they find dangerously deteriorated sidewalks and that notices sometimes precede resurfacing projects so multiple properties can be addressed together. The mayor characterized the total need as large and said the city will “give it some thought” but did not announce a new program or funding commitment.
No formal council action or new appropriation on sidewalk repairs was taken at the meeting. Council members asked staff to consider options and confirmed that the existing code places repair responsibility with property owners, though some property owners have been unable to afford work in past cases and the city has used coordination strategies during paving projects.
The meeting record does not specify an ordinance number or the precise percentage of rental properties on the North Side; the resident said about 60 percent of homes there are rentals but the figure was presented in public comment and not confirmed by staff at the meeting.
