PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Some Oregon City residents have complained of costly sidewalk repairs, causing public officials to consider updating their permitting processes.

Under the city’s municipal code, homeowners are responsible for maintaining the public sidewalks near their property. The cost of grinding or replacing a sidewalk currently sits at $207 for a single panel or $413 for a group of at least three, while the Sidewalk Replacement Assistance Grant Program drops those costs to $103 for a single job and $206 for a group.

The program covers properties near sidewalks within the public right-of-way in which street trees have lifted or are “negatively impacting” the sidewalk grade.

Earlier this month, a McLoughlin neighborhood resident, Tyson Brown, told the Oregon City Commission the community has paid thousands of dollars to repair sidewalks that were damaged not by trees — but by “decades of wear and tear by joggers and neighbors walking their dogs.”

Waiving permitting fees or “incrementally” assisting property owners by paying for just a portion of sidewalk repairs were among the changes Public Works Director Dana Webb proposed during Wednesday evening’s commission meeting.

But Commissioner Rocky Smith raised concerns that waiving fees could upset the homeowners who have already covered costs.

“Every time another neighborhood has a sidewalk problem, we’re trying to fix it, but in fixing it, we have to also then go back and make sure it’s consistent and fair with everything else we’ve done — which is so hard to do,” Smith said.

Although the reimbursement program was first launched just a few years ago in 2022, community members are arguing that sidewalk permitting processes should still be updated due to recent changes in the economy

“We are facing unprecedented inflation and cost of living and I think that justifies action on the part of the city in a variety of ways, but in particular on this issue,” McLoughlin neighborhood resident Michael Sugar told the commission. “We want Oregon City to be a place that families feel secure coming to secure buying homes in and raising their families in without substantial unplanned unexpected expenses coming along.”

Local code requires homeowners to obtain permits within 60 days of sidewalk repair notices, and to complete the project within another 90 days.

There are currently 89 properties in code enforcement across the city, according to Webb. The public works director said 27 of those have obtained a permit, while a majority of properties have received a first notice and five of them have already received a second notice.

Commissioners are weighing code amendments that would increase the project deadline to 180 days instead of 90 days. They are also considering a 60-day pause on sidewalk permit fees.