City sidewalk committee can't reach consensus
JANESVILLE — Janesville's sidewalk committee did not reach a consensus Monday and decided instead to forward a set of options to the city council.
The council charged the committee with making recommendations on its seven-year sidewalk plan. The committee operates on a consensus model, which means members all must be able to live with the recommendations.
During previous meetings, members agreed on criteria to rank sidewalk segments, including proximity to schools and whether streets are arterial, collector or local.
The committee would recommend a sidewalk segment and then forward the recommendation to the council, which if in agreement, could order a sidewalk.
City Manager Eric Levitt said the committee decided Monday to forward a compromise to the council for consideration, possibly at its Sept. 24 meeting.
Levitt said the compromise would give a property owner on a local street the option to request a deferral of sidewalk installation until the first of three things happen: the house is sold, 80 percent of the street has sidewalks or after 10 or 15 years have passed.
Levitt said the panel couldn't reach a consensus on whether to allow the deferment for either 10 years or 15 years.
Another area of contention is whether a house that is in a block with a current sidewalk gap is eligible for the deferment.
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Sep 17, 2012 at 7:07 p.m.
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oh wait they did remove it...again no doggie doo doo....there remove that communists....or is dod doo to harsh for ya....this is a stupid article and even dunber for printing it
Sep 13, 2012 at 3:29 p.m.
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Is that the punchline? And this is a surprise? Ha ha...
Maybe the volunteer Sidewalk Committee should for a volunteer Subcommittee which they could BLAME their decision on?
Or maybe the well-compensated city manager could do his job and RUN THIS CITY (but not into the ground!).
Sep 13, 2012 at 1:51 p.m.
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"
Gandalf
Sep 13, 2012 at 8:34 a.m.
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Has there been any discussion about putting the cost of sidewalks on the general tax levy (like streets) rather than on the back of individual property owners"
This seems more dumb that putting sidewalks where they are not needed.
Anybody who has a home has had to pay for the sidewalk themselves. Shovel them themselves, upkeep, etc. Now we have to pay for others too.
YOu may not have personally paid for the sidewalk upfront but the first homeowner or a homeowner did. Again back to keeping it maintained. You bought a home- this is part of what goes with it.
Now back to my first thoguhts of it is stupid to have them EVERYwhere. Put them where needed!
The biggest laugh I get is out by Wright Rd near DMV. Are people walking to DMV to take their drivers test????
Sep 13, 2012 at 9:06 a.m.
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I understand that when quite a number of houses were built over the years, the builders included sidewalks in the price of construction. Now those builders are no longer around- and, strange as it may seem, neither are the sidewalks.
Sep 13, 2012 at 7:53 a.m.
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We need a sidewalk on South Arch between Rockport Road and Court street right away! This is idiotic not to have one here.
Sep 12, 2012 at 8:56 p.m.
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Back in 1964 when we lived in Janesville we were reading stories of The Gazette about sidewalk laws. My guess is that in 15 more years I will still be reading stories about Janesville's sidewalk situation. How much ink has been devoted to these stories over the years. How many trees have died for paper to print all of these stories. I doubt if Janesville will ever have a real plan for sidewalks.
Sep 12, 2012 at 7:33 p.m.
Sep 12, 2012 at 6:10 p.m.
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I has been reported that the Sidewalk committee had reached a consensus except for one holdout. Mr Steeber.
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