Denver Requests Feedback on Proposed Changes to Sidewalk Ordinance 307
Denver Requests Feedback on Proposed Changes to Sidewalk Ordinance 307
DENVER— A stakeholder committee, established by Denver’s Department of Transportation and Infrastructure (DOTI) to review and refine Sidewalk Ordinance 307 passed by voters in November 2022, has announced three proposed changes and is accepting community feedback on the proposals through an online survey through Tuesday, February 27.
The stakeholder committee, which has been meeting approximately twice a month since August 2023, has made consideration of the sidewalk fee structure a top priority to give Denver City Council an opportunity to enact changes before property owners receive their first bill.
The Committee’s proposed ordinance amendments aim to:
- address concerns from community members regarding fees assessed to residential properties (particularly properties that would be assessed fees that are substantially higher than the average under the original ordinance) and the potential burden on lower-income households,
- ensure the ordinance remains compliant with TABOR requirements, and
- ensure DOTI is able to successfully implement a sustainable program for the construction, reconstruction, and ongoing repairs of sidewalks citywide.
“I’m proud of the hard work the Committee has done to develop recommendations that refine the sidewalk ordinance and details of implementation and that honor the will of the voters,” said Jill Locantore, Committee Chair and Executive Director of the Denver Streets Partnership. “After community members weigh in over the coming weeks, the Committee encourages Denver City Council to adopt the final recommended changes swiftly to avoid further delays in the implementation of the program.”
The proposed ordinance changes address 1) fees for residential properties, 2) the fee discount program and 3) implementation timelines. Residents can review the recommendations and provide feedback through an online survey at www.denvergov.org/sidewalks.
The construction, reconstruction and repair of sidewalks was, historically, the responsibility of adjacent property owners in Denver. The citizen-led ballot initiative, known as Denver Deserves Sidewalks and Ordinance 307, shifted the responsibility of sidewalk construction and maintenance to the city and established fees the city is to charge property owners to fund the sidewalk work.
