Lubbock's City Council recently made a decision that could have significant implications for residents who are interested in having their alleys paved. The council voted 6-1 against a proposed ordinance amendment that would have allowed citizens to initiate a petition process to have their alleys paved according to city specifications. However, this proposal came with a catch: the cost of paving would largely fall on the property owners.
The meeting took place on June 9, and the council's decision was met with mixed reactions. The original idea for the proposal had been introduced earlier in April, but it faced scrutiny during its second reading. Mayor Mark McBrayer expressed concerns about the necessity of the proposal, stating that it seemed like "solving a problem that doesn't exist."
Under the proposed amendment, a majority of property owners on a block would need to sign a petition, pay a $500 filing fee, and then cover the costs associated with the project. However, even those who did not support the initiative would still be required to pay a portion of the bill, which could range from $3,700 to over $8,000 per property. This meant that residents who did not want their alley paved could still face financial consequences, such as liens on their property.
McBrayer emphasized that the issue was not just about the cost, but also about fairness. He noted that if a resident did not want to pay for the paving, they should not be forced to do so. "If you don't want to pay that expense, you don't want your alley paved, you nonetheless would be charged with it (or have) a lien on your property," he said. "I think most of us have a problem with that under most circumstances."
The current policy in Lubbock is that developers or citizens are responsible for covering the cost of paving an alley to city specifications. If not, the city maintains alleys with dirt and gravel, which is significantly less expensive. According to city staff, the average annual maintenance cost for dirt and gravel alleys is just a few hundred dollars per block.
Councilman Gordon Harris acknowledged that some residents have questioned why certain alleys are paved while others are not. However, he clarified that the city is not in the business of paving alleys across the community. Instead, it focuses on maintaining existing infrastructure.
There were several uncertainties surrounding the proposed ordinance, including how the city would consistently fund its 10% share of the costs and what the demand for paved alleys would be. Assistant City Manager Erik Rejino mentioned that he couldn’t recall any residents volunteering to cover the cost of their alleys over the past five years through the current process.
Despite these concerns, Councilman Tim Collins was the lone vote in favor of the ordinance change. He suggested that the city could continue to explore options that better meet residents' concerns.
The rejected proposal was an amended version of the ordinance approved in a first-reading vote on April 28. However, the council had previously decided to put the proposal on hold after city staff informed them that adjustments were needed to comply with state law regarding the percentage of costs residents would be required to pay.
Key details of the proposed ordinance included:
- The petition must be for an alley that is at least one street block length and with a petition fee of $500.
- The petition must be signed by at least two-thirds (2/3) of the abutting property owners.
- The petition must represent at least fifty-one percent (51%) of the total linear footage of the abutting property owners.
- An Engineering Feasibility Determination will be made by the City after the petition is received. If approved, all abutting property owners will be assessed a fee for the alley improvements based on their linear frontage.
- The assessment will be established based on the Engineering Department's cost estimate and will be updated based on actual costs once the project has been completed.
- Property owners will have the ability to pay the assessment up front or set up a payment arrangement for a period of up to 12 months.
- Prior to proceeding with design and construction, a minimum of thirty percent (30%) of the total estimated project costs must be collected received by the City.
Fiscal Impact
The City will be responsible for 10 percent of the cost of paving an alley.
No comments:
Post a Comment