Sidewalks have been a topic of discussion in Hudson for years. In all discussions of sidewalks, many of which are admittedly in bad shape and unsafe, not just safety but also uniformity have been put forward as goals to be achieved. Back in September 2018, Rob Perry, Superintendent of Public Works, pointed out a problem with the quest for uniformity. At a meeting of the then Public Works and Parks Committee, he showed pictures of some of the most handsome sidewalks in Hudson--sidewalks that had one thing in common: they are not in compliance with city code.
At the meeting of the Common Council Code and Infrastructure Committee this week, Perry brought up another issue that makes uniformity problematic. The city code is inconsistent when it comes to the required width of the sidewalks. In one place, the code indicates sidewalks must be 4 feet wide; in other, it specifies 5 feet. The committee seemed interested in eliminating the inconsistency, but how might they do that?
In the oldest parts of the city, the position of the houses in relation to the street would make a 5-foot width requirement challenging, and it would eliminate altogether creating wells for street trees on these blocks.
When government starts to nickle-and-dime its regulations, it starts to sink in to the swamp of "enforcement." It has a better chance of succeeding by stating the general rules and then letting citizens sue for enforcement.
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