After meeting with town attorney Jim Coniglio and evaluating scenarios for maintenance of the public sidewalks in the vicinity of the Lowes plaza, Councilman Mike Tenalio has proposed creation of a sidewalk district, whereby the commercial occupants of the district will be assessed sidewalk-related expenses on a special property tax line.
This idea is the “cleanest”, according to Tenalio, as opposed to the town buying new sidewalk equipment or contracting the service from the village. Under law, the town could not enter into an agreement with a private landowner, i.e., Lowes, to perform the work.
Lowes and the savings & loan firm which will be in the new plaza reportedly have no objection to being taxed by the district. Attorney Coniglio pointed out that the businesses will not themselves be big users of the sidewalks. Rather, the sidewalks will serve a public purpose in accordance with the new Gateway design standards.
In a 3-to-1 vote, Councilman Dan Dimpfl dissenting and David Dwyer not present, the board directed Attorney Coniglio to move forward in the first step of sidewalk district formation by preparing a map.
Dimpfl opposed the “bigger government” notion of the town taking on a new area of responsibility, but if there is going to be a sidewalk district Dimpfl also would like it addressing bicycle paths in the Gateway. Dimpfl furthermore thinks districting is overly complicated when Lowes could simply include the work as part of the contract for its own sidewalks and parking lot (just as downtown village business owners maintain the sidewalks in front of their buildings).
Coniglio countered that sanctioned bicycle paths would pose a major liability concern for the town.
Complete story appears in our Oct. 15 print edition.