Title
Sidewalk Repair Policy Discussion
Recommended Action
Committee Recommendation:
The Land Use and Environment Committee supported forwarding the staff recommendation to the City Council for discussion.
City Manager Recommendation:
Discuss a long-term policy for sidewalk repair.
Report
Issue:
Whether to discuss a long-term policy for sidewalk repair.
Staff Contact:
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Principal Planner, Public Works Transportations, 360.753.8575
Presenter(s):
Michelle Swanson, AICP, Principal Planner
Background and Analysis:
The issue
Current City code holds property owners responsible for repairing the sidewalks adjacent to their property, but the City has enforced that code minimally and unevenly.
Over time, the City developed an interim approach of addressing sidewalk repair by prioritizing streets where the City maintains street trees as resources allow (map attached).
Toward a long-term policy
In recent years, the City has been working toward creating a long-term policy for sidewalk repair. As part of that process, staff created a story map and survey to receive feedback from community members about some key points. A link to the story map is attached and includes the high-level results of the survey.
Recent City actions
In 2024, the City established a Sidewalk Repair Program in the Capital Facilities Plan (CFP), funded at $500,000 annually through Transportation Benefit District sales tax revenue. The City also completed a comprehensive inventory of sidewalk conditions, identifying nearly 28,000 unique defects requiring repair and providing a better understanding of the overall scope of needed improvements.
As part of the 2026 budget, the City Council funded a new four-person sidewalk repair crew within Public Works Transportation, supported by Transportation Benefit District sales tax revenue. The crew has recently begun work to address sidewalk repair needs throughout the community.
The recommended policy
On May 28, 2026, City ...
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