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BALLSTON SPA
Village offers reimbursement to fix sidewalks
Officials spreading the word to help make area more strollable
BY STEPHEN WILLIAMS Gazette Reporter
Reach Gazette reporter Stephen Williams at 885-6705 or swilliams@dailygazette.net.

   The village will increase its reimbursement to property owners who build new or repair old sidewalks and try to raise awareness of its reimbursement program.
   The actions are being taken after several people approached the Village Board about the condition of sidewalks in parts of the village, given that the village has been promoting itself as “A Strolling Village.”
   While the downtown commercial district generally has a wellmaintained sidewalk system, in residential sections of the village, sidewalk conditions are inconsistent.
   There are places on side streets where the sidewalk condition varies from property to property or there will be a gap with no sidewalk.
   The Village Board voted to increase its reimbursement to people who install or repair sidewalks from $2.25 per linear foot for sidewalks and $1.75 per foot for curbs to $2.50 per foot for both.
   “Our thought is it would be an encouragement. It would get the message out that there is this program,” Romano said.
   He said the village has paid out nearly $90,000 over the past 10 years under its sidewalk reimbursement program, which is intended to cover about half the cost of the sidewalk work.
   The property owner contracts for the work, pays for the entire project bill up front and is reimbursed for half the cost.
   Village zoning has required that sidewalks be included in all new property development since 1966, but Romano acknowledged that that condition hasn’t always been enforced.
   He said Village Attorney Richard Kupferman is skeptical of the village’s ability to go back now and require the current owners to install sidewalks at those locations.
   There’s also skepticism that owners of houses built before the 1966 requirement could be forced to install sidewalks.
   But Romano said the reimbursement program could give those property owners an incentive to carry out improvements voluntarily.
   “When we send out the next water bill this winter, we’ll be including a public awareness message,” Romano said. “I think public awareness is a key factor.”  

  
  
  

Ya know this will come up in Rotterdam....better put it in effect now.....cover the next generation and get them started on the right foot....

Yoy'll never get a dime for improvement from the city and rotterdam has been repairing the sidewalks themselves.

I dont want the city to do it.....I want US to be responsible for our own things as much as possible....you know the "you live here now you have to take care of it".....I'm sure we all learned that from our parents.....or was it more of "get what you can for nothing, no matter what".......there is a balance and we need to strike it.......

I believe this is an idea that should be, at least, looked into. I just may work!