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Residents urge pause and redesigned mitigation for Northeast 13th Avenue sidewalk project
Summary
Multiple residents told the commission that the Northeast 13th Avenue sidewalk and drainage project expanded beyond initial public notices, will eliminate driveway access and on‑street parking in narrow streets, and asked the city to pause construction, conduct additional coordination with adjacent property owners, and provide legal and mitigation assurances.
Dozens of residents used the public‑comment period at the Feb. 18 City Commission meeting to press the city to pause the Northeast 13th Avenue sidewalk and drainage project and to address what they described as inadequate notice, scope creep and insufficient mitigation for lost parking and driveway access.
Speakers — representing block groups and neighborhood coalitions — said early outreach and 2017 materials described improvements along the 13th Avenue corridor but did not disclose the current neighborhood‑wide footprint that now includes side streets. "If the boundary shifted, residents deserve to be told," said one resident. Several speakers said a coalition dismissed litigation against the city "without prejudice" for financial reasons and that the underlying concerns about notice and scope remain unresolved.
Residents sought specific actions: a legal opinion on ADA and liability exposure, assurances the city would assume financial responsibility for damages if the sidewalks create legal issues, a temporary pause on sidewalk construction so mitigation can be designed and funded, and recorded neighborhood participation meetings prior to further construction. "This is not opposition to improvement…It's opposition to process being treated as optional," one speaker said, urging adherence to the city’s comprehensive plan policies on public participation and mitigation.
City staff and commissioners acknowledged the concerns and pointed to prior outreach and design steps. Several residents asked for clear mitigation plans for displaced parking, and for coordination with adjacent owners to preserve access where feasible.
Why it matters: residents say the project could materially alter everyday access, parking and property use on narrow residential streets; the commission heard detailed claims about notice, scope expansion and the need for mitigation consistent with adopted policy.
What’s next: residents asked the commission to use the commission‑reports segment to seek a consensus to pause the construction; staff did not announce an immediate pause during the meeting but said they will continue dialog and look into legal and mitigation options.
