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Council opts out of sidewalk assessment for now after heated public comments
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing with residents split over sidewalks and assessments, the council approved curb-and-gutter assessments but did not include sidewalks in the project ordering and tabled the sidewalk assessment until a full council can decide in February.
Neighbors sharply divided over whether sidewalks should be built on 295th Street pressed the council during the improvement and assessment hearings. Some residents said sidewalks would improve safety and accessibility to the nearby school; others said sidewalks would be a burdensome special assessment. Parent and local librarian Andrew Finskes urged the council to pursue available state funding rather than assess homeowners: "I came up here to say I'm pro sidewalk... But if you didn't apply for this, you shouldn't be expecting us to pay for it," he told the council.
Council members described the trade-offs between delaying construction to pursue competitive Safe Routes to School grants and keeping the 2025 construction timeline. Staff told the council the sidewalk assessment for a parcel would likely be between $5,000 and $8,000, while curb-and-gutter assessments were generally lower. After debating separate assessment resolutions, council members approved the curb-and-gutter assessments but tabled final action on sidewalks so the full five-member council can act in February. "Sidewalks are not going to be included in the project scope for this particular view," one council member stated during deliberations.
