Letters to the Editor

Enforce the code

December 5, 2009


To the editor:

I’ve lived in the Oread Neighborhood for 20 years and have been active with the Oread Neighborhood Association on and off for those 20 years. Sidewalks have always been a big concern of the neighborhood.

At one point, an ONA member spent over 100 hours on a survey and detailed map of all the neighborhood sidewalks in various conditions.

The city has never been much help in getting sidewalks repaired. All we ever needed was to have the city follow the city code and cite poor walks and have property owners do the repairs. More than once, I’ve seen over $100,000 put into a house, but when the project is all done, the sidewalk is still not to code. The city has never had much interest in enforcing the city code of our walkways.

Here it is, the year 2009, and we have a wizard behind the curtain on top of the hill. The city is now in a big rush to build a yellow brick road to their front door from downtown.

All Dorothy needs is the city to enforce the city code on sidewalks and keep the streetlights working. Then people can choose any route they wish to downtown from the KU hill.

We don’t need an expensive pathway that is out of character and of little use for the neighborhood. All Dorothy needs is to be able to walk around the neighborhood on walkways that have been there for over 100 years.


justforfun 5 years ago

Fred Before you toot the horn of the lady that spent these 100 hrs let me tell ya that alot of her time was spent tresspassing. Yes, I met her on my property snooping around with a clipboard in my backyard making notes of my siding, windows, etc... She was not very forthcoming when I asked her what she was doing. I suggest next time the ONA wants to do inspections on other peoples properties they get a warrent or stay on the crappy sidewalk.

Richard Heckler 5 years ago

Have no fear Fred help may be on the way. From city hall.

Talk to you later.

igby 5 years ago

It's funny how these ONA members are always gripping about everyone else and their property; yet as I can remember, some of these ONA members had 3 to 6 foot gaps in their sidewalks for years before they got around to fixing them. Just where do they get all their money to restore their houses when they have been unemployed most of their life? Drugs? Lol.

headdoctor 5 years ago

Isn't it wonderful that the City in many parts of town actually own the sidewalks but if we are real nice they let us use them and they are very gracious about letting us pay for the replacement of them as well as keeping them scooped off during the winter. It always amuses me how that they can technically fine you for not cleaning off their sidewalks. The same goes for certain other repairs. They will gladly charge the home owner or make them contract work done for something that isn't even on their property.

George Lippencott 5 years ago


When did I become responsible to repair city property provided for the common good that is not even on my property. How about a tax on everybody as everybody uses the sidewalks!

SnakeFist 5 years ago

I agree with Moderate, I had no idea that I am supposedly responsible for sidewalk repair. If that's the case, then I'll rip it out and you can walk in the street. If the city says I can't take it out and have to maintain it, then I have a constitutional "taking" claim (as in the city has taken my property for public use without just compensation). An easement is one thing, a duty to maintain is another. Talk about a slippery slope; what's next, I have to repair the street in front of my home?

jafs 5 years ago

It's simple, but wrong, in my opinion.

Private property is private, and access to it can be restricted. So I can make sure people don't wander through my yard to reduce wear and tear.

Public property is available for use by all, and I can't restrict access.

If the sidewalks are public property, then homeowners shouldn't be responsible for their upkeep.

If they are my property, then I should be able to restrict access, and I'd be happier with having to maintain them.

It's simple - private property should be maintained by private property owners, and public property should be maintained by the city.

Judgesmails 5 years ago

youre a crybaby, sack

i hope you trip on one of those sidewalks and break your old hip.

pace 4 years, 9 months ago

Oread neighbors, if problems occur, call your neighborhood association to help. Are there stray animals, improper lighting, dirty alleys, litter problems? Noise problems, parking concerns, elderly homeowners in need of assistance, cracks in the sidewalk? Call your neighborhood association, Call the board members: they care.

Commenting has been disabled for this item.