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Resident asks council to delay sidewalk assessment for vacant lot; staff cites ADA mandate
Summary
During a public hearing on sidewalk extensions, resident Bruce Bigelow urged the council to delay a roughly $12,000 assessment for a 122-foot sidewalk that would now end in undeveloped land; staff reminded the council ADA law requires completing gaps and allowed the resident until Aug. 19 to secure a contractor or petition for waiver.
Bruce Bigelow, a Kasson resident who said he purchased the vacant lot next to his home, told the council the required 122-foot sidewalk would "take you into a bean field" and asked the city to delay installing the walk until there was a demonstrated need or development to the north. He told council officials the contractor he knew could complete the work for about half the city's estimate and asked for extra time to locate a bidder.
The city administrator and engineers explained the extensions are part of a multi-year ADA compliance plan to close sidewalk gaps and that the city typically offers a petition/assessment process so property owners can pay over time. Staff said the city could accept a resident-hired contractor if the work meets specifications and urged the resident to share contractor details with staff.
Councilors balanced fairness concerns — several homeowners complied years earlier — with compliance and safety obligations. The council allowed Bigelow until the Aug. 19 meeting to report progress on hiring a contractor; if no progress is reported the council will proceed with the assessment process. Staff also noted residents can apply for assessment waivers or ask the city to pay up front and assess costs over time in multi-year installments.
No final resolution was adopted at the hearing; the council set a date to review any contractor progress and to consider removing the assessment if the work is done in time.
