Village administrator outlines sidewalk maintenance options; staff recommends phased village-funded repairs

Village Administrator Haley Lupton presented a proposed Sidewalk Maintenance Program to Plain City Council on Nov. 11 and recommended the Village take responsibility for phased repairs through the annual budget rather than invoicing residents.

Lupton noted that, under the Ohio Revised Code, "property owners are responsible for the maintenance and repair of sidewalks adjacent to their property," and then described program options: add repairs to the annual paving program; require property owners to pay full costs; or have the Village do the work and invoice or assess costs to owners. Lupton said concrete grinding is a less costly, less administratively intensive repair than full panel replacement and estimated concrete grinding would cost about $25,000 in 2025.

The staff presentation included a draft zone map with approximately 13 priority zones identified from a comprehensive sidewalk assessment completed in 2023. Lupton recommended focusing on small areas each year to keep annual budget impacts low; she said larger upfront costs are possible in the program’s early years but overall costs should decrease as repairs are completed.

Council members asked about financing and opt-out options used by other municipalities (Hilliard’s up-front payment and 0% financing via tax assessment were cited). Council members expressed support for staff’s recommendation and asked that staff communicate clearly to residents why the Village would perform repairs rather than assess costs individually.