Recent Q & A about sidewalks...

1. Do homeowners pay for sidewalks? - No, the projects are funded with Federal money and there is no expense to the homeowners. The City has no plans to assess homeowners for construction of sidewalks.

2. Do homeowners maintain the sidewalks? - No, the City is responsible for maintaining the sidewalks.

3. Do homeowners assume any liability for the sidewalks? - No, the sidewalks are a public asset and the City assumes all liability.

4. Homeowners can’t park two vehicles “back to back” and keep from blocking the sidewalk. - City Staff will work with homeowners to the extent practical and permissible under law to determine whether specific design considerations can mitigate this issue. It is a violation of City Ordinance to block a public sidewalk. The Benbrook Police Department generally responds on a complaint basis only.

These next questions come from the homeowners, in some cases this has already happened.

1. Can a homeowner have his sidewalk against the curb?

Standard sidewalk design is along the street Right-Of-Way/Property Line. Sidewalks are for pedestrians and the standard design allows pedestrians to have a safer separation from vehicles in the roadway. It is not anticipated that any obstructions will cause any sidewalks to be located adjacent to street curbs.

2. Is the sidewalk the same width no matter where?

Standard sidewalks, along Right-Of-Way/Property lines, are four feet wide. In the unlikely event that a section of sidewalk must be adjacent to the curb the sidewalks are typically about five feet wide to provide pedestrians a safer area if closer to the roadway.

3. Past practice every homeowner has parked in their driveway across the city easement (10 ft from curb) and not ask to move, why would the homeowner be ask to move or ticketed if and when the sidewalks are in place?

The Ordinance has been in place for many years and driveway parking that extends beyond the Property Line and encroaches into the street Right-Of-Way has been a violation for years. The installation of sidewalks does not change the long existing Ordinance, sidewalks make the location of the Right-Of-Way/Property line more obvious.

4. What about brick mailboxes, will the homeowner have to move it if is in the path of the new sidewalk?

All efforts will be made to avoid mailboxes. If the relocation of a mailbox is unavoidable the City will relocate the mailbox.