Developers and homeowners might be able to opt-out of the Houston’s sidewalk ordinance under legislation under consideration by the Houston City Council this week.
The city of Houston is considering a “sidewalk-in-lieu-fee” that would allow homeowners and developers to pay a price to opt-out of the city’s sidewalk ordinance, according to an article by Yilun Cheng paywalled by the Houston Chronicle.
“Under current regulations, property owners and developers are required to build a sidewalk in front of a property unless the project meets certain exemptions,” according to Cheng. “With the new measure, applicants can choose to pay a fee of $12 per square foot if the required sidewalk construction is unsuitable or unfeasible. The fees would go into a new fund, which is expected to generate $1.7 million a year for the city to build sidewalks in a cohesive manner.”
The ordinance would split the city into 17 areas—70 percent of sidewalk-in-lieu-fees collected in each area would be allocated in the same area. The remaining 30 percent could be used citywide. David Fields, chief transportation planner at the Houston Planning and Development Department, is quoted in the article saying the fee system is intended to balance the need for sidewalk projects throughout Houston.
According to the Greater Houston Builders Association, which has advocated for the $12 per square foot fee, “a large tree, a drainage system or an open ditch” can sometimes make it implausible to build a sidewalk in front of a house. Greater Houston Builders Association Chief Executive Officer Aimee Bertrand is quoted in the article saying the fee will help bring down the cost of housing in the city.
FULL STORY: Houston's plan to avoid orphan sidewalks would let developers opt out of building them
Houston Mayor Pauses Complete Streets Projects
The move raises concerns among road safety advocates who point out that traffic deaths continue to rise.
The Struggle for a Walkable Houston
Houston is fighting itself on walkability. While some build sidewalks and benches, parking minimums and outdated policies hold the city back.
Chicago Allocates $500K to Sidewalk Clearing Pilot
Advocates of the Plow the Sidewalks program were asking for $1 million to start a pilot program in four areas of the city.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Delivering for America Plan Will Downgrade Mail Service in at Least 49.5 Percent of Zip Codes
Republican and Democrat lawmakers criticize the plan for its disproportionate negative impact on rural communities.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Balancing Bombs and Butterflies: How the National Guard Protects a Rare Species
The National Guard at Fort Indiantown Gap uses GIS technology and land management strategies to balance military training with conservation efforts, ensuring the survival of the rare eastern regal fritillary butterfly.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service