Dear Mr. Locke, Regarding your letter dated July 10, 2015 notifying us of our violation of Jenkintown ordinance that requires us to pay for the maintenance and repair of property that we do not own, I would again refer you to a letter that I sent you on May 4 of this year in which I clearly state that my family cannot afford to comply with this ordinance at any […]
Policy
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Proposing a better way
Last week, I reached out to Dan Burden of Walkable.org about our situation. Here is his response: Here is my take: Creating the right policy to assure improved walking and property values, improved community health, greater social life, spaces supportive of play and related benefits to key streets is important. Community policy should not be punitive to those trying to maintain the quality of their properties. Likely, this policy and […]
Policy
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Affordability is not the point
Despite everything I’ve so far written on this issue, I clearly have to work harder clarifying my stance. During my conversation with Mr. Conners yesterday, I had to explain more than a few times that though this issue presents a hardship for me and my family, to me the real problem here if two-fold: First and foremost: I do not own that property. It is not an easement. It is […]
Latest News
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Official silence
More than two weeks ago, I wrote letters to our borough manager and my three (count them, three) of twelve(!) borough councilors explaining our situation. As of today, I haven’t received so much of an acknowledgement of receipt from any of them. Today, I sent my councilors this email (along with another copy of the letter): More than two weeks ago, I sent you the enclosed letter. As my elected […]
Latest News
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Please spread this flyer around
I just distributed this flyer to all my neighbors along the stretch of Runnymede that borough plans to reconstruct, but this issue applies to the entire borough. Indeed, it applies to the whole state. Please download, print, and distribute to your neighbors as well. Thanks for your support!
Latest News
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Thanks for visiting
If you have just received a copy of the letter I have begun to distribute to the neighborhood, please first visit this link which goes into greater detail explaining why I believe this law must be changed. Please leave your comments at the end. Thank you.
Policy
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Walkabout: No reason we should keep tripping over rough sidewalk issue | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter Diana Nelson looked into this issue back in 2013, and conveyed some alternative ideas for funding sidewalk reconstruction: Throughout the country, sidewalks are commonly the adjacent property owner’s responsibility, but there are creative ways to deal with the realities of citation after citation without response, lien after lien that just adds to someone’s eventual burden — maybe even the city’s. Source: Walkabout: No reason we should keep […]
Latest News
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It’s about the kids, too.
Yes, there is federal money for sidewalks There are two pots of federal dollars currently available for Safe Routes to School programs and projects. The first pot is from the old transportation law (SAFETEA-LU), and does not require matching funds. This pot is still available in many states, find out about Pennsylvania here. The second pot of money is from the Transportation Alternatives Program, in the current transportation bill (MAP-21), and […]
Policy
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Cars win again
Doing some homework on the issue. This from the PennDOT site: Q. Why does PennDOT not replace curbs and sidewalks? A. By Pennsylvania State law, the local municipality or property owner is responsible for the maintenance or installation of curbing and sidewalk [emphasis mine]. Furthermore, it is District 8-0 policy to use betterment funds for roadway improvements and not curbing and sidewalk. However, in certain unusual circumstances, the Department has replaced curbing […]
Legal Issues
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Pennsylvania law and Jenkintown sidewalks: It’s all about the liability
I would like to thank the mayor of Jenkintown, Ed Foley, for sending me a document that pertains to this commonwealth’s policy on sidewalk repair. Make no mistake folks: This goes back decades, and it does seem to have everything to do with shifting liability from municipalities to its citizens property owners. You trip over a crack on the walkway in front of my house, I have to pay your hospital […]
Latest News
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Sidewalks are a public right-of-way
Forgive me for stating the obvious, but you wouldn’t know it from the way Jenkintown funds sidewalk repair. I cannot be the only one in Jenkintown that thinks the way we (and many other towns in Pennsylvania) fund the repair of sidewalks and curbings borders on insanity. In our borough, homeowners are expected to bear full financial responsibility for the public right-of-way adjacent to their property right up to the […]
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