A sidewalk to nowhere
SLIPPERY ROCK — The borough will survey its sidewalks for violations.
On Tuesday night, borough council decided that Professional Code Services, the company that does the borough’s code enforcement, should survey sidewalks and present a list of violations to the borough in October.
This decision came after a discussion about building new sidewalks and enforcing sidewalk codes.
In 2005, council passed a sidewalk master plan which mandated sidewalks in front of many houses.
The plan called for sidewalks along North Main Street, Kelly Boulevard, Water Street, New Castle Street, Grove City Road, Oak Street, Sassafras Drive, Aspen Court, Willow Drive, Parklane Drive, Mulberry Lane, Old Forge Road, Center Street, Vincent Street, High Street, Cross Street and other locations.
Sidewalks were to be phased in, but no action was taken at the time.
Council President Dave Miller said council needs to consider how to get the sidewalks installed, who would pay for them, if they should only be on one side of the street in some locations and how to enforce current sidewalks.
“This is a large task to take on, but we have to take it on,” Miller said.
He said that some sidewalks that have been installed were donated by Slippery Rock Development. In his housing plan, he said sidewalks were built by the developer. However, that was not the case in other locations.
He said the borough could prioritize sidewalks in areas. He said that North Main Street from the Slippery Rock Elementary School to Kelly Boulevard should be a main priority because of the large number of children who walk there.
Councilwoman Christy Tichy said she feels safe walking along roads without sidewalks in the Poplar Forest area due to low traffic there. However, she said she does not feel particularly safe walking past the elementary school, which is on busy North Main Street.
“That’s one place where it’s really needed,” Tichy said.
Councilwoman Regina Greenwald said Kelly Boulevard has “chopped up” sidewalks, having them in some places but not in other places.
Councilman Ken Harris said a major problem is getting enough money to do the job comprehensively.
Greenwald wondered if an increase in the property tax would help pay for new sidewalks. Councilman Bob Bowser said that would make it fair, and would benefit the entire borough.
Borough administrator Lucinda Lipko said the 2005 master plan includes an ordinance for sidewalk maintenance.
Harris said he would like to see what Professional Code Services will find, but said the borough will not enforce the violations yet.
During public comment, resident Marilyn Hines said a dedicated tax for sidewalks is a good idea. She said if that happens, the money should be saved only for sidewalks, and she noted that it would take a few years for enough money to accumulate.
Miller said it would be no different from the borough’s dedicated taxes for fire protection and street lighting.
Resident Mike Meyer said when the ordinance was passed in 2005, many property owners were upset, partially because it would be expensive to install sidewalks that are up to the borough’s code specifications. He also said that sidewalks greatly increase liability for homeowners, since it is their responsibility to maintain them.
Meyer noted that the Poplar Forest housing development originally was approved without sidewalks and that the road there is 2 feet wider than nearby roads to compensate for this.
