Denver property owners would not see their first bills for the city’s voter-approved sidewalk repair, replacement and construction program until next year under a second proposed delay of that initiative.
Continuing implementation challenges, along with legal questions about the city’s latest proposed approach to fees, were blamed Tuesday for pushing the effective date back again, until after Jan. 1.
The new proposal to delay sidewalk fee collections by at least six months sailed through the City Council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure Committee during an afternoon meeting. Assuming that change wins approval from the full council later this month, Denverites will have waited more than two years after passing the city-led sidewalk program before the dedicated fund that’s needed to fuel that work begins filling up.
City officials estimate that 40% of Denver’s sidewalk network either is in disrepair, is too narrow — keeping people in wheelchairs or pushing strollers from using them comfortably — or hasn’t been built out.
Councilman Paul Kashmann sits on the stakeholder committee that has worked since August to adjust the sidewalk program and its fee structure before quarterly bills start hitting residents’ mailboxes and online accounts.
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