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| If you live in Media and don't have one of these, it is going to cost you! |
Neighbors from Pennock Place took issue with this proposal, stating the cost to home owners was unreasonable and the requirement unfair. Pennock Place is located off of Providence Road and ends in a cul-de-sac. After meeting with borough council, Pennock Place has been exempted from this ordinance as has Parks Edge Lane from what I understand, but is it fair for others who are not and may have not known about this? Like those who live on Edgemont Street, Fifth Street and beyond? Putting in sidewalks could easily cost thousands of dollars if not more.
Couple things worth noting:
- I can't find much information on this proposal and it's definitely not somewhere where one can easily find it, like the main page of mediaborough.com. This is a matter that will have financial implications to residents and should have been widely available.
- No one currently on council would be affected by this ordinance, as they all already have sidewalks. I question who on council is speaking up for those residents that will be affected and why hasn't this been better communicated.
- If a certain group is allowed exemption, than who on council is making those decisions and under what criteria? Has borough council shared with others who will be impacted by this that others have been exempted?
Ask all the questions you want. They can do it legally and legitimately. There's no stopping them.
ReplyDeleteBridge first. Right?
ReplyDeleteWhen you sell homes now you have to repair the broken ones as a condition of sale, so why not require sidewalks??
ReplyDeleteBrian Hall and the rest of Media Boro Council are the imperial court. Much like our President it seems Council have their own pen and paper and will use them. Damn the serfs and or peasants who voted them into power. But make sure the FROGS on Parks Edge are exempt no side walks needed for them. First no cars are allowed to drive by their special homes now no one is allowed to walk by them either. Oh yeah and like Council person Amy Johnsons husband said if you don't like it move. (But first if needed put in a sidewalk)
ReplyDeleteAre you f'in kidding? Parks Edge exempt? The collusion is outright repulsive. Wake up people! 2015 is right around the corner, you have the opportunity to oust the three worst offenders on council......and FROGS will rally around all of them.
ReplyDeleteWhere I live in town my neighbors have brick sidewalks that have been there for over a hundred years .. there is nothing wrong with these side walks they look great .... it goes with the charm of Media .. why would any home owner change this ! Get over this!!! Leave the town the way it is ... deal with it !!
ReplyDeleteThere's patches of Edgemont and 5th that could definitely use some sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteI have curbs that have completely deteriorated by bad design and snow plows ripping them apart. Is the borough going to make me replace these curbs or put in sidewalks? As for Parks Edge Lane the original deal was they all had to park in their driveways so fire and ambulances could respond. As we all can see they park on the street.
ReplyDeleteMore side walks? Uh, maybe people should be required to repair their existing side walks first. Hell, people don't even shovel them! My parents live in an inexpensive working class neighborhood and their town has immaculate side walks which are never uneven or cracked, the curbs are never crumbled and everyone shovels in the winter. In their town you will see fresh cement daily. I have never once seen freshly laid cement in front of a Media home. I was told it is because the home owner is not responsible for the walkways in the borough. Is this true? If so, how does this new clause reconcile that?
ReplyDeleteIt's called: the cost of owning (or selling!) a home. As others have said, stop whining and deal with it.
ReplyDeleteSome streets (like Pennock) do not need sidewalks though -- it's a cul-de-sac with little traffic (both foot or vehicle). It therefore becomes an unnecessary cost, rather than one that would benefit residents of Media
DeleteCan someone be required to relay their brick sidewalks too, please. I trip on those upturned bricks all of the time.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You mean cost of owning or selling for some - not for others.
It's just plain wrong. The Borough snuck this into the Comprehensive Plan. You'd really have to look for details about how they intended to force individual landowners to pay for it. It doesn't seem right. Most of us have sidewalks that were installed many decades ago, likely as part of a road improvement project. While this requirement seems to comply with State law, I'm betting the affected landowners could pool their money and fight it in the courts. I'd say they have a pretty good case of inequitable treatment. Stay tuned for another waste of legal dollars.
ReplyDeleteUnless Media already has a pre-1999, mandatory sidewalk installation ordinance in place the borough will run into a major legal issue if they try to make residents install sidewalks as a condition of re-sale. Sidewalks are not required for residential properties under the PA Uniform Construction Code. Furthermore, the PA Municipal Code and Ordinance Compliance Act would forbid Media from tying this requirement to the resale of a home. Media can require that residents install sidewalks, but they can't legally tie it to the resale process.
ReplyDeleteFor crying out loud, this isn't Atco or Deptford; put in a sidewalk already.
ReplyDeleteWhat should we do when Media Boro Council decides ALL homes must have Solar panels? or all homes must have off street parking? or all homes must have security lights? ect.
ReplyDeleteWhere and when will the residents realize they are all losing personal rights little by little.
I would love for everyone in Media to have a sidewalk. I often walk with my two young boys, and am forced to walk on the street for several block, especially on Edgemont Street.
ReplyDeleteTake another route or teach your children street safety and obedience
DeleteA quick Google search reveals that this has been in the Media Borough code since at least 2008 when it was last amended... which means it's about time they started enforcing it!
ReplyDeleteNo sidewalk = No Certificate of Occupancy = no sale. Boom!
253-20 Every owner of real property in the Borough of Media shall keep and maintain the curbs and sidewalks in good repair within any public right-of-way upon which the property abuts or wherein the property is located.
253-21 In any location where there is presently no curbing or sidewalk constructed in or upon the right-of-way of any street in the Borough of Media, the installations of curbing and sidewalk shall be undertaken upon direction of the Borough of Media upon reasonable notice.
Article IV:
ReplyDeleteSidewalk Construction and Maintenance
[Adopted 7-17-1980 by Ord. No. 703]
Where I live I don't see how me or my neighbor could even put in a sidewalk.
ReplyDeleteI assume the borough will be responsible for installing the curbing. Where is that money? Will taxes be raised to fund that?
ReplyDeleteA big reason why Media is thriving and property values are so strong is that it's a uniquely walkable place relative to most suburbs, with great access to regional transit. Any effort to expand the sidewalk network should be welcomed, as this builds on our strengths.. this is the sort of place homebuyers want now, and millenials will want into the future. And for the commenter suggesting that mother teach her kids to walk in the street... Really? Leave that to the other 'burbs.
ReplyDeleteIt seems kind of ironic that people that want a green way now want more cement.
ReplyDeleteGreenway man greenway its all about the greenway oh yeah and chickens man chickens man don't forget the chickens
DeleteSince so few homes sell in the borough each year, it would take decades to accomplish sidewalk installations if this program is only enforced at point-of-sale. The result would be a patchwork of sidewalks that really wouldn't improve walkability or safety in the borough. This method would actually create an eyesore on most streets. If Media wants to begin enforcing the current sidewalk ordinance, it should be done systematically, street by street. This will both save money for individual home owners through economies of scale, and meet the planning goals of borough council. If this program is a top priority for the borough, perhaps grant money can be provided to help offset the expense.
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the home owners on Centenial feel about this issue? It would be extremely expensive to put sidewalks in front of some of those homes. Sidewalks are impervious, we should keep the green space we have. If it's not broken don't fix it.
ReplyDelete