Property owner asks to place concrete pad in Howard Avenue right-of-way; council warns of precedent and construction concerns

Property owner Dave Smith asked the council for permission to place a 23-by-10-foot concrete parking pad between his barn and the sidewalk on Howard Avenue. Smith said the pad would sit between the new sidewalk and his fence and that the dimension is roughly 23 feet by 10 feet.

Council and staff questioned whether the pad would be on private property or in the city right-of-way and discussed implications if the pad crossed the sidewalk line. Staff said the Howard Avenue project will include curb, gutter and a sidewalk and increase the street width to allow parallel on-street parking. That change affects whether a private pad would be needed or appropriate. Council members said they would prefer residents work with the project contractor to place concrete on private property where feasible.

City staff and council also flagged other issues: sidewalk sections that cross vehicle entries need to be thickened to driveway specification (an added cost), permanent openings and future use by heavier vehicles (construction trucks) could create maintenance and liability concerns, and allowing a pad on the city right-of-way could prompt many similar requests.

Outcome: Council did not grant a right-of-way permit at the meeting. Staff advised Smith he may discuss options with the contractor for private-property work, and that a Board of Adjustment variance would be required if setback or parcel-combination issues arose for other projects.

Why it matters: The exchange shows the council balancing a homeowner’s immediate access/parking request against long-term public-right-of-way design, future maintenance costs, and precedent for similar requests.