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Sidewalks or no sidewalks – that is the question.
As builders and developers look for ways to cut costs, sidewalks are an area they look to trim. Sidewalks cost as much as $30 a linear foot.
But as far as Sussex County planners are concerned, sidewalks stay.
There is no written standard in county code requiring sidewalks, but over the past five years county planning and zoning commissioners almost always require developers to include sidewalks in their plans.
That hasn’t always been the case, because county-approved subdivisions, including many in the Cape Region, have no sidewalks.
New standards adopted by the state require sidewalks in all new subdivisions. The county is in the process of rewriting standards and will probably require sidewalks in some new subdivisions based on lot and development size, said Shane Abbott, assistant director of county planning and zoning.
In addition, there is a push for sidewalks to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. New sidewalks will have to be 5 feet wide for better accessibility, which is 2 feet wider than the standard three-foot width of most sidewalks in place today.
MLK Partners, developers of Millstone, asked for relief from a condition requiring sidewalks in their 36-lot development on 43 acres south of Blades. The developer plans lots of at least three-quarters of an acre.
Commission Chairman Robert Wheatley said the reason for the request was purely financial. “They are trying not to spend money,” he said. “They are concerned with increasing costs of the project and that it will be more difficult to stay within their price range.”
After a long discussion, commissioners voted 4-0 against the request – Millstone must have sidewalks on both sides of the street.
Commissioners have been consistent in their stand that safety issues outweigh all other issues when it comes to sidewalks.
“It gets the residents off the streets. Sidewalks are for pedestrian safety,” Wheatley said.
In addition, he said, more people are walking and jogging, so sidewalks are even more important.
“Plus, sidewalks help to create a greater sense of community,” added Commissioner Michael Johnson.
Commissioners considered a compromise - sidewalks on just one side of the street, which has been permitted on a limited basis in some developments.
“This is a standard subdivision and there are no amenities,” Johnson said. “At least this provides for safe pedestrian walking.”
Richard Kautz, county land-use planner, said there is a precedent for not requiring sidewalks in developments with large lots, but safety and accessibility issues must enter into the decision as well. Lots in Millstone will have front footages of 175 feet to 200 feet. Concrete for a 200-foot sidewalk, 5 feet wide, would cost about $6,000. The cost would drop to about $4,000 if the sidewalk was 3 feet wide.
In the end, the commission decided to stick to the original plan and require sidewalks.
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