Changes to pedestrian paths have Ames community members fearing for their lawns and pocketbooks.

The Ames City Council commissioned the Pedestrian Walkway Advisory Committee to develop a plan to determine where sidewalks are necessary by taking into consideration safety and mobility issues.

Under the plan, a sidewalk would be required on both sides of arterial streets. Arterial streets are those with a daily traffic volume of at least 5,000 vehicles.

Collector streets, those with a vehicle traffic volume between 2,000 and 4,999, were not a focus of the committee, but sidewalk recommendations were made where beaten paths are visible and areas with access to a bus stop.

Many community members have voiced concerns about the plan.

Councilman Steve Goodhue said opposition to the plan continues.

“It’s interesting to note that none of the committee members live on arterial streets,” said Myron Green, of Ames, at the council meeting Tuesday.

A common concern was the cost to homeowners — who would be required to pay $12 to $18 per linear foot for a sidewalk on their property.

Any extra expenses, such as heavy grating or driveway replacement, would be covered by the city.

The plan includes three payment options: one lump payment; one in which the city will assess the financial status of the homeowner and determine if they are responsible for all, half or none of the required cost; or a city loan at zero percent interest over a five-year period, according to the city of Ames Web site.

“If the sidewalk is to be used by the community, the community should pay for it all,” said Ames resident Jim Gunning.

Councilman Russ Cross said the cost to property owners and potential cost to the city are the most obvious concerns.

“However, this concern is offset by the need to fill in gaps in our sidewalk system along main streets,” Cross said.

Cost wasn’t the community’s only concern.

“We’re hearing a lot of concern from people about losing green space in their yards,” Goodhue said.

“I don’t care for the idea of a slab of concrete in the middle of a well-manicured lawn,” Ames resident Herb Strasser said.

Strasser was a volunteer member of the Pedestrian Walkway Advisory Committee.

The plan is not yet enacted. The City Council has placed it on its agenda to discuss in April.

Cross said at this point it’s just a report from the community.

“If we were to go forward, the staff would develop an official plan,” Goodhue said, at which time the council could officially approve it.

In forming the original report, Goodhue said the Pedestrian Walkway Advisory Committee met five times over the course of about three months.

The committee included six community members.