Should city require sidewalks?
Should sidewalks be required in subdivisions?
If so, should they be wide enough for two people to walk side by side, about 5 feet, or extra wide at 10 feet? McMinnville officials will be considering those decisions in the future.
The current sidewalk restriction in McMinnville subdivisions is 10 feet wide and 4 inches thick. However, there are no sidewalks fitting the 10-foot width description inside the city limits.
‘When it comes to subdivision regulations, in commercial areas sidewalks shall be 10 feet wide and 4 inches thick,’ said city planner David Baird referring to the existing ordinance. ‘After checking with (Public Works director) Bill Brock, there are no sidewalks 10 feet wide in the whole city.’
This being the case, Baird suggested changing the ordinance’s 10-foot-wide requirement to 5 feet, so out-of-town developers won’t be hesitant to build here because of the stricter requirements.
‘Essentially, we have something in our codes that we aren’t following and doesn’t work,’ said Baird. ‘With our codes online, I don’t want someone from out of town looking at that and deciding against developing here because 10 foot wide sidewalks are crazy in a commercial area.’
According to Baird, reducing the requirement by half is reasonable. At that width, two people can walk side by side comfortably, he said. Taking the width down to 4 feet would give pedestrians a ‘false sense of security’ while walking.
The ordinance will then state ‘if sidewalks are installed they must be 5 feet wide and 4 inches thick.’ The ‘if’ caught the attention of Mayor Royce Davenport, as the city doesn’t require sidewalks.
‘I wonder if we should require sidewalks,’ said Davenport. ‘I know it adds to a developer’s cost but in the long run it makes it safer for the residents of the city. Right now we have a $151,000 grant to install sidewalks in the city.’
A TDOT Enhancement Grant in the amount of $125,360 was awarded to the city in September. The grant, an 80-20 split, will require a match of $31,340, which can be made with in-kind work done by the city’s Public Works Department when it installs the sidewalks along city streets.
Allowing 5 feet for two people to walk side-by-side is just fine according to Active Living Resource Center. After evaluating sidewalk width as it pertains to wheelchair use, at least 5 feet is needed for a wheelchair user to pass another wheelchair user or to turn around safely.
The changes will be presented to the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for its consideration. Planning and Zoning will take a look at Davenport’s recommendation to require sidewalks.