Neighbors urge council to resume Stribbling Avenue sidewalk project after city pauses work

Residents of the Fry Springs neighborhood urged the Charlottesville City Council on May 20 to remove a temporary pause on the Stribbling Avenue sidewalk project and deliver the safety improvements the city promised when it approved a nearby rezoning. Neighbors said the delay has already created safety hazards while construction and new development continue.

The concern coalesced during the community‑matters portion of the meeting, when multiple residents described Stribbling as a blind, fast downhill corridor used by children and walkers without sidewalks. “Putting a pause on this project is not acceptable,” said Carl Wade, a resident and construction professional, summarizing the neighborhood view that the sidewalk was a condition of approving the 240‑unit Stribbling development and tied to a $2.9 million infrastructure funding agreement.

Why it matters: Council approved rezoning in 2022 on the understanding that infrastructure upgrades would accompany higher density. Neighbors said construction traffic is already increasing risks on a street that lacks adequate walking space and cited months of poorly managed utility work that left the road in rough condition.

Public works director Stephen Hicks told the council the pause reflects unexpected costs for right‑of‑way acquisitions. He said the city had budgeted $5.7 million for the city‑led portion of the work but that negotiators encountered unusually high counteroffers for small permanent and temporary easements. “The typical offer we were giving was $2,000 to $6,000,” Hicks said. “The counteroffers are in six digits,” and several property owners are prepared to litigate, a path that could require condemnation and greater cost and risk to the city.

Hicks described the immediate staff objective as refining the scope down to a “bare minimum” that still meets safety objectives and returning to council with clearer estimates and options. He said staff had secured about 12 of the roughly 48 parcels needed for the project and estimated a $400,000 contingency buffer would provide negotiating flexibility but offered no final price certainty.

Residents pressed for alternatives: speakers proposed phasing construction, pursuing negotiated property improvements instead of large cash payments, and setting a narrow timeline. “If you’re going to add 170 families to that street and not improve the street, you’re just asking for a kid to get hit,” said Jason Halbert, a Fry Springs resident.

Council and staff next steps: Hicks and staff said the pause is intended as short (staff referenced weeks up to the end of the fiscal cycle to refine options) and that condemnation remains a legal tool if negotiations stall; staff will return to council with recommended funding options and a schedule. The council did not take a formal vote to cancel the project; the motion remains to seek additional information before authorizing more funds or a condemnation authorization.

The meeting record shows broad neighborhood support for moving the sidewalk forward and staff caution that costs and property‑owner resistance are the current obstacles to beginning construction.