Council hears proposal to set aside $300,000 a year for sidewalk infill tied to TBD projects

City staff recommended a three-part strategy to address missing sidewalk links: (1) identify funding, (2) collect a complete sidewalk inventory, and (3) consider targeted flexibility in design standards for interim infill on city projects.

"What we would like to suggest to the council is that we take our sidewalk maintenance costs that are currently being paid out of our street fund and align those with the transportation benefit district," said Speaker 12 (Troy), who presented funding options. Staff proposed dedicating about $300,000 per year (sourced from general-fund/utility-tax revenue) for sidewalk infill so those projects would be more consistently funded and not compete directly with street overlays.

Staff said the policy would focus limited exceptions on high-pedestrian, safety-priority locations (near bus stops, schools, parks, senior services) and would be nonpermanent: full city standards would still apply when redevelopment occurs. Several council members expressed concern about lowering standards for city projects versus private development and asked that any design-standard exceptions be vetted by the planning commission and incorporated through the budget process before funds are spent.

Council members repeatedly stressed "safety first" and directed staff to proceed with surveying the sidewalk network, refer potential design-standard amendments to the planning commission, and return with budget language for the $300,000 set-aside.