Item 1: The Sidewalk Maintenance and Gap Infill Program:
If you don’t know Lisa Marie Coppoletta – or LMC – then you are missing out on one of the more memorable of town personalities. She speaks up at far more City Council meetings than anyone else in town. She ran for mayor a few years ago. She tends towards libertarian beliefs – lower taxes, individualism – and so she can veer into ideas that I am vehemently opposed to. But she also picks a few key issues that are personal to her, and focuses like a laser beam on them. What I am saying is that she is the most ever-loving persistent person you’ve ever met. And this item is her shining moment in the sun.
Apparently San Marcos had a survey back in 2011, and road and sidewalk maintenance faired dismally:
Whoops. So we decided to become more walkable. So we needed sidewalks. In 2013, we started the Sidewalk Maintenance & Gap Infill program. They’ve got a teeny budget – 150K-200K per year. They survey the town, look at where we’re not wheelchair-accessible, or where parks aren’t connected to neighborhoods, etc, and generally chip away at the streets of San Marcos.
At some point in the last 5-6 years, Belvin got sidewalks. LMC lives on Belvin, and something happened with the sidewalks and LMC’s trees in her front yard. (I literally do not want to fully understand this issue.) Since then, this has been her number one talking point, and this presentation is the pinnacle of her time and effort spent wearing everyone down on the topic.
But she is successful, and I don’t mean that dismissively! There are four proposed changes to the Sidewalk program, and one is: “Develop protocol for tree inspection and analysis prior to construction, inspection during construction, and follow-up.” This is a good idea. Local activism at work!
Then the question arises: Who gets to vet upcoming sidewalks? Should they go to neighborhood commissions? Historical Preservation Committee? City Council?
Alyssa Garza asks how well the citizen input has been going.
Answer: lately it’s been pretty poor. They’ve tried to reach out, and people just don’t show up.
All the councilmembers agree: Sidewalks should go to neighborhood commisions, HPC, and yes, to city council.
Here is my question: Suppose staff is planning a sidewalk project, and brings it to the neighborhood commission. And suppose the neighborhood says no, we don’t want sidewalks. Does it still come to council? Can Council override a neighborhood vote? Would it require a supermajority?
Here is my problem – I’m cynical about neighborhood associations. I’m worried that individuals will focus on the twenty yards of sidewalk along their property, and will only be mad about that. I can imagine a neighborhood full of people who are mildly enthusiastic about sidewalks in general, but passionately mad about the portion in front of their own house.
This could easily be the death knell of the sidewalk program altogether, which is then a huge collective loss.
People are averse to change, and they will overestimate how much it will sting to lose their street easement. But once it’s built, it’s not going to be a thorn in their side. Don’t let their fears wreck what’s best for the whole.
The San Marxist 