Rochester City Council Considering Sidewalk Repair Funding Plan

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Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A change in the way the City of Rochester pays for sidewalk replacement and repair projects is on the agenda for Monday evening's meeting of the City Council.

The establishment of a Sidewalk Improvement District Program has been up for discussion numerous times over the past seven years. Most recently it was the subject of a City Council study session in May.

Under the current city policy, the annual cost of repairing and upgrading sidewalks throughout Rochester has been funded through a combination of property tax dollars and assessments on the owners of individual properties abutting the location of sidewalk panel replacement projects or other repairs. The proposed Sidewalk Improvement District plan would create six districts throughout the city with the cost of sidewalk projects in each district spread across all of the properties within each district based on real estate classification.

The city staff recommendation for the SID program states the reassignment of the cost of sidewalk projects from individual property owners to a greater portion of the community would provide a more "understandable, predictable, convenient, and affordable program" for property owners. The recommendation also notes the cost of developing a walkable community would be distributed among all residents and that it would be a more efficient program to administer.

The City Council agenda item indicates recent annual sidewalk replacement and repair project budgets have ranged from about $1 million to $1.6 million.