Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Sidewalk Program topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee weighs tree‑first sidewalk approach and alternatives to assessments
Summary
Engineering staff said 2026 work will focus on tree removal/replacement this year with major sidewalk pours next year; members debated whether to keep assessments or shift more funding into the General Fund to accelerate connectivity projects and reduce multi‑year neighborhood disruption.
City Engineer Glenn Davis outlined the 2026 Sidewalk Improvement Program and said this year's effort will emphasize tree removal and replacement first, with majority sidewalk work deferred to the following year. He said the program targets streets on a nine‑year cycle and named Summit, Baird, McEntee, Oak, Gordon, Overlook, Tanglewood, High Point and Windfall as focus areas. "The majority of the cost for this year’s project involved tree removal and tree replacement," Davis said.
Council Members debated the merits of the two‑phase approach (trees first, sidewalks later) versus completing sidewalk work in a single season to limit repeated neighborhood disruptions. Dir. Hiscock introduced the idea of alternative funding — reducing reliance on property assessments and instead adding General Fund dollars for broader sidewalk replacement and connection projects. Davis noted an ODOT grant will fund preliminary design on College Street (Chester to Sunset and to the soccer fields) as part of a multi‑year connectivity effort; property acquisition and right‑of‑way needs were flagged as future constraints.
Staff will return with a proposed schedule and options for assessments vs. General Fund investment; no formal policy change was adopted at this meeting.
