Troutdale residents press council on rising water fees and a long-running sidewalk ADA dispute

Multiple residents used the meeting’s public-comment period to raise two distinct local concerns: a public-safety service fee appearing on water bills and a protracted sidewalk repair and ADA-enforcement dispute tied to a Multnomah County roadway.

Public-safety fee and billing calculation A Troutdale resident asked how the non-water public-safety service fee is calculated across homes, apartment units and businesses, saying that the $15 monthly fee was already a hardship and that proposals to raise it toward $25 would be onerous for fixed-income households. City staff explained the fee is assessed by equivalent residential units (ERUs): single‑family dwellings count as one ERU, multifamily units are assessed at about 70% of an ERU and commercial rates vary depending on square footage and fixtures. The council said they have discussed placing an operations levy on the November ballot as a possible alternative to the fee, but that such a levy would not take effect immediately if approved.

Sidewalk repair, ADA complaint and possible options Linda Addensson, who identified herself and said she has lived in Troutdale nearly 40 years and is disabled, detailed a long history of tree-root damage and buckling on a large sidewalk at the rear of her property adjacent to Till Road. She said she had previously been told the problem was a Multnomah County responsibility and later received conflicting city guidance about permits, tree removal and potential costs.

City staff told Addensson the sidewalk matter arose from an ADA complaint that triggered enforcement; staff noted Troutdale’s code places responsibility for adjacent sidewalks on the adjacent landowner, but also described options such as city repair with a lien, an assessment program with payment options, and potential discretionary assistance from council in exceptional cases. Staff committed to follow up with the city manager and city attorney and to discuss possible assistance and administrative options outside of the meeting.

What comes next Staff said they will investigate Case materials, coordinate with Multnomah County if necessary, and follow up with Addensson about possible mitigation steps or financial-assistance options. The council requested staff review the communications history and potential discretionary remedies. Residents and staff urged clearer guidance from the city on programs to support low‑income or elderly homeowners facing large sidewalk repairs.

Documented details and numbers — Public-safety fee: current examples cited as $15 per month on some bills; staff said the proposal discussed in budget talks was toward $25 per month (figures cited in public testimony and staff explanations). — ERU method: multifamily assessed at roughly 70% ERU, per staff explanation. — Sidewalk: resident described a roughly 8‑foot‑wide by 100‑foot‑long damaged sidewalk; ownership adjacent to a Multnomah County roadway was disputed in earlier communications.

What to watch: staff follow-up on the ADA enforcement file, clarification of Multnomah County vs. city maintenance responsibility, and whether the council pursues any discretionary relief for the homeowner.