The Observation Deck

Councilman

Seems to me, that if people who live on private streets want the city to cover the cost of repaving, then they should be made public streets. In much the same way as they may object to paying tax monies to repave my street on which they drive when they're paying to pave theirs privately, I in turn, object to my tax dollars being used on a private street on which I cannot drive.

Jeff

Kevin Butler wrote:Another good question. A few reasons I've heard, off the top of my head:

(1) Written obligations. The original documents creating the private street ownership around the turn of the 20th century reflect an easement obligating the city to take care of certain repairs, such as the sewer under Maple Cliff, for example.

(2) Safety concerns. Where safety and sanitation vehicles would be hampered otherwise, it's in the city's best interest to maintain safe passage in order to promote the public welfare.

(3) Precedent. The city historically has stepped in to help, so say many residents who would prefer not to pay twice for street repairs, once privately, and again to the taxing authority for other people's streets.

KB

For this to be affordable on a cost accounting basis, there would have to be not only high population density on a street, but moderately high income or gas(with gas consumption) amongst the residents of the street. From a democratic standpoint, most of the residents would also have to be drivers. Where do they park their cars if they are maintaining a high population density and all driving?

Boy, this really takes me back a few decades. I lived on North Clifton at birth and we moved 13 yrs later. I vividly remember riding my new bike on the freshly repaved North Clifton Drive. (Funny name really, since it is actually south of Clifton)

I can't speak to the other streets, but I remember my mother explaining that money would be short because everyone had to pay their share of the repaving. One of my older siblings complained that the city should do it and we were told that the street was, in essence, our driveway. That was the reason that there was a chain across the middle. It prevented people from using it as a cut through from West Clifton to Webb. Aunt Alice, a foster mom who everyone called Aunt Alice, lived in the middle and she kept the key for the chain. She would unlock it for the garbage truck. Everyone else had to ask her to open it if you needed to get through. Amazing how no one really cared back then.

No one was allowed to drive on it if they didn't live there. Visitors always parked at Horace Mann. Since this was in the 60's, I don't know if it has been repaved since.

Just a little perspective about how it was 40 some years ago. I don't know if the policy has changed but from my time with LPD I can say that it definitely was not paved often.

To Councilman Butler, Thanks for bringing up North Clifton. It really took me back to some fond memories. Of course, from this distance, living in a three bedroom, one bathroom house and being one of fifteen doesn't seem nearly as bad as it was then.