The Chadron City Council has officially approved a plan creating a city grant program to help landowners repair sidewalks. $50,000 is available the first year with a yearly review to see if changes are needed in the program or the funding.
In general terms, owners can apply for up to half the costs of repairing or replacing sidewalks to a maximum of $1,500 for 4-foot sidewalks, $3,000 for 5-foot sidewalks, and $500 for curb cuts.
Council member Cheryl Welch developed the idea last summer with City Zoning and Building Official Janet Johnson after using the city’s existing ordinances to file complaints against the owners of 2 sidewalks with major deterioration issues.
After some at times heated debate at a council meeting last fall, the council reached a consensus to move forward. Welch is excited to have the program go into effect.
The city began accepting applications yesterday with an April 15th deadline. Welch is encouraging all owners with city sidewalk problems to apply.
A 3-member committee – Welch, Johnson, and private citizen Misty Hickstein, wife of Police Chief Rick Hickstein – will then have 2 weeks to score each application.
Criteria to be used include, but aren’t limited to, being in a designated school zone, proximity to schools, being on a street with a Safe Routes to School designation, and having adjacent sidewalks.