In an ongoing effort to enhance sidewalk safety, the Ames City Council voted Tuesday to update sidewalk safety standards and repair options following a detailed review after sidewalk reports increased exponentially in 2023. The decision follows a public survey with 486 responses and feedback from various community events and platforms.
Council members opted to implement both a proactive inspection program and also to receive complaints. This initiative would mean inspecting sidewalks and notifying property owners to give them time to work with contractors.
“We have currently 405 complaints that we are waiting on. That’s more than a year’s worth of complaints for us,” said Ames Public Works Operations Manager Justin Clausen. “Even if we decide tonight on a proactive approach, I would caution council that we are going to need to get through this backlog first, and then maybe our proactive approach would start next fall into the winter.”
The City Council also approved new standards, changing the allowable thresholds for sidewalk displacements, hole sizes and crack widths to address safety concerns more effectively.
According to the city’s Municipal Code, property owners are responsible for ensuring the upkeep and safety of their public walkways. The City Council’s approval of alternative repair techniques such as grinding, joint filling and partial patching will give property owners more choices when addressing sidewalk issues.
“In many of those situations, had there just been some greater flexibility in these repairs, it would have saved a lot of those panels having to be replaced,” Ward 2 Rep. Tim Gartin said. “I think this is a common sense approach.”
The council also voted to prioritize income-based subsidy programs to assist property owners with sidewalk repairs and ensure financial assistance is available to those most in need.
Additional Measures
The City Council held a special hearing Tuesday on the proposed property tax levy for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024. This hearing, required by Iowa Code section 24.2A, must take place before discussing the annual budget and will be the only item on the agenda due to a new legislative mandate passed in 2023.
Despite failing to meet specific zoning requirements, such as setbacks and paving, the council members unanimously voted to grant an exception for Kiwanis to continue using their paper recycling trailer at their current location. This decision allows Kiwanis to address operational concerns and explore solutions with Overflow Thrift Store, with ongoing discussions to resolve zoning issues.
