The city still will require builders to construct sidewalks with homes, but significant changes could be coming to Houston’s sidewalk guidelines in the coming months.
The decision follows weeks of public debate after three City Council members proposed eliminating a requirement that developers include sidewalks when building a new home, even if it does not connect to an existing path or pay a fee to the city.
Mayor John Whitmire on Wednesday said the Planning and Development Department will propose a more comprehensive set of amendments as early as December to improve the city’s sidewalk ordinance.
Until then, he directed officials and the Public Works Department to waive sidewalk construction requirements when it is “technically infeasible to construct a sidewalk,” he said in a memorandum to council before the meeting. That includes scenarios that would create “sidewalks to nowhere,” the strips of sidewalk that do not connect to other walkways.
“I think that this is just a step in the right direction that gives the department the latitude to make very smart, common-sense decisions,” said District F Councilmember Tiffany Thomas, one of the proposal’s sponsors. The other two are District D Councilmember Carolyn Evans-Shabazz and District J Councilmember Edward Pollard.
Whitmire said the process will include opportunities for public comment and involvement from community members, but did not elaborate on when those conversations would occur.
The Greater Houston Builders Association supports the idea of removing the requirement to bring down construction costs, but disability rights and pedestrian accessibility activists warn against any policy that reduces sidewalk construction.
A point of contention has been that Houston homeowners are responsible for the construction and upkeep of sidewalks in front of their residences. Council members agreed Wednesday that the city needs more sidewalks, but said it would require more funds than currently available.
Under existing rules, developers pay a fee of $12 per square foot when they decide not to build a sidewalk with a new home. The fee goes into a dedicated sidewalk fund to construct sidewalks in neighborhoods that need them.
No projects have been funded by the fees since its creation last year, the Planning Department told the Landing last week.
“The city needs to be responsible for sidewalks,” District C Councilmember Abbie Kamin said. “But again, there’s a massive cost that comes with that, so I look forward to continuing not just these conversations, but taking action on it.”
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