Inman Park sidewalks (Atlanta, Smyrna, Jackson: how much, attorney, high school)

[JPD]

Originally Posted by gumboula

The VA-Highlands neighborhood organization actually reimburses homeowners a portion of the cost of repairing/replacing their sidewalks.

As they should.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by gumboula

The VA-Highlands neighborhood organization actually reimburses homeowners a portion of the cost of repairing/replacing their sidewalks.

Sounds like it may not have worked as expected.

History Of Sidewalk Repair Programs In VaHi

A few years back, VHCA had a 50% cost matching program of up to $500 for sidewalk replacement. There were few takers (less than 20 in 3 years).Some of those funded were doing sidewalks anyway. The worst sidewalks – those the VHCA would target – did not necessarily get repaired. Thus, the program was discontinued.

Sidewalks | Virginia-Highland Civic Association

[noah]

Midtown alliance is in the middle of a large multiyear streetscape project (I think $80 million or so) and this year they are working on Ponce and North Ave, with some stretches of sidewalks being replaced..of course I think Midtown probably has better sidewalks then most parts of town.

Originally Posted by ericsonga

I think that is the main streets especially were improved it would add quite a bit of value and help to facilitate new development. Streets like Piedmont Rd, Ponce, North Ave, etc come to mind.

[ATLTJL]

Homeowners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks? That's assinine! Why not make homeowners responsible for power lines, street signs, and fire hydrants????

That makes zero sense. So if you decide as a homeowner that you are going to fix your sidewalk, you can have it all ripped up and new sidewalk put down....and the new stuff begins and ends at your property line? That's idiotic. What if you want poured concrete, but your neighbor gets hex, and another neighbor wants cobblestone? Then the sidewalk is just a patchwork of crap.

Can't Atlanta residents get together, say raise our property tax a few bucks, and maintain our freaking sidewalks?

I have a sidewalk in my yard. I'd hate to find out that I'm responsible for maintaining it, but who knows, maybe I am and I just don't know it.

[JPD]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Homeowners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks? That's assinine! Why not make homeowners responsible for power lines, street signs, and fire hydrants????

I suspect the city used to maintain the, but handed the responsibility off to the homeowners after they saw all the tree roots making the sidewalks little more than hundreds of miles worth of trip hazards. This is their way of relieving themselves of being sued by people who trip and smash their heads on the concrete.

[Nast]

Originally Posted by residinghere2007

The tree was dead so the city cut it but they don't do stump grinding anymore so we will have to pay for someone to come out and do it

Did they say if this was a recent development? One of the last of the great old oak trees on our street was cut down about two years ago, and the resulting giant stump and ruined sidewalk / street sat untouched until our neighbor decided to pur her house on the market last fall. She started a weekly calling campaign to the City until they not only came out and ground the stump, but completely repaired the street and sidewalk in front of her house, as well. I'm not sure who she called, but I know she was pretty persistent until it was done.

Also, I know she didn't request to have it taken down - the City just showed up one day, examined it, and decided it had to go. So perhaps that may have had something to do with it?

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Can't Atlanta residents get together, say raise our property tax a few bucks, and maintain our freaking sidewalks?

Better yet, how about trimming the payroll and maintaining our freaking sidewalks for the astronomical taxes we already pay?

I completely agree that this should be a municipal function. It's absurd to dump these costs off on homeowners.

Outlandish.

[ericsonga]

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

I have a sidewalk in my yard. I'd hate to find out that I'm responsible for maintaining it, but who knows, maybe I am and I just don't know it.

No, in Gwinnett the sidewalk in front of your house is either maintained by the county or an HOA if you have one. Sometimes, I truly miss Gwinnettia...

[noah]

I don't think this is unique to Atlanta.

LA to shift sidewalk burden | CalWatchDog

Real Estate | Sidewalks? They're your problem | Seattle Times Newspaper

An increasing number of cities are shifting sidewalk responsibility to homeowners, according to Phil Andreen, a national sidewalk expert and former assistant city attorney for Pasadena, Calif., who defended the city against sidewalk claims for more than 20 years.

Andreen said homeowners usually make repairs more quickly than the city can and the owner is more aware of the immediate condition of the sidewalk. Last year, the city of Seattle received 85 claims from people who have tripped and fallen, including statements from three in the last several months who say they received concussions after falling on buckled Seattle sidewalks.

In 60 percent of the cases Andreen handled, trees contributed to problems with the sidewalk, including two wrongful-death lawsuits as a result of falls.

Originally Posted by ATLTJL

Homeowners are responsible for maintaining the sidewalks? That's assinine! Why not make homeowners responsible for power lines, street signs, and fire hydrants????

That makes zero sense. So if you decide as a homeowner that you are going to fix your sidewalk, you can have it all ripped up and new sidewalk put down....and the new stuff begins and ends at your property line? That's idiotic. What if you want poured concrete, but your neighbor gets hex, and another neighbor wants cobblestone? Then the sidewalk is just a patchwork of crap.

Can't Atlanta residents get together, say raise our property tax a few bucks, and maintain our freaking sidewalks?

I have a sidewalk in my yard. I'd hate to find out that I'm responsible for maintaining it, but who knows, maybe I am and I just don't know it.

[arjay57]

Originally Posted by noah

I don't think this is unique to Atlanta.

True, although it's still ridiculous.

Sidewalks are public assets for intended for public use, exactly like roads.

The average citizen doesn't have a public works department on call, or the expertise to conduct safety inspections.

Persons who are injured as a result of defective sidewalks also get the short end of the stick. How do they know the homeowner has adequate insurance?

The effect of this burden shifting is of course to discourage sidewalks. Why would I submit myself to liability for injury, maintenance, etc., when the city -- which bears the true responsibility -- can simply skip out on the deal? Maybe I'll just put a gate up at each of the sidewalk in front of my house.