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Resident offers $1,000 to move sidewalk to save orange trees, disputes city's $40,000 plan
Summary
A resident told the Atwater City Council he can save his orange and sycamore trees by shifting the sidewalk six feet at an estimated incremental cost of about $660 and offered to pay $1,000; he said the city's $40,000 proposal included unrelated intersection work and would save only five of eight trees.
A resident addressed the Atwater City Council during public comment to ask that the sidewalk be moved six feet north to preserve his orange trees and nearby 200‑year‑old sycamores. He said the city’s written proposal would save only five of eight trees and listed the cost shown in the city plan as $40,000 for the work.
The resident said he reviewed the city’s plans and used them to estimate the incremental work required to shift the sidewalk. He said his engineer calculated that the move would require 11 additional feet of curb, gutter and sidewalk at about $60 per linear foot, which he said amounted to roughly $660. "I will pay the city 1,000 to move the trees and move the sidewalk," the resident said, adding that he would contact staff to see if his offer is acceptable.
The resident also told council members he was surprised by the city’s price and that, in his view, a portion of the $40,000 estimate appeared to cover work at the Strawberry intersection across the street rather than only the sidewalk adjacent to his property. He described having done some engineering work himself and used that background to generate his cost estimate.
The council acknowledged the comment and did not take a vote during the public comment period. The resident said he would follow up with city staff about his offer; no staff response was recorded in the meeting minutes.
