Sydney Cromwell
Mayfair sidewalks
Mayfair residents listen to their neighbors discuss sidewalks during a June 6 public works committee meeting.
There's no easy solution in sight for residents along Mayfair Drive and Roxbury Road, who disagree over whether to build a sidewalk along their street.
Neighbors filled the council work chambers on June 6 to share their opinions in an hour-long public works committee discussion that ultimately ended in being carried over to seek out more information.
The issue has been under discussion in the public works committee for several months after Mayfair resident Ashley Kappel brought the idea of sidewalks to them. Mayfair sidewalks have been considered in the past and rejected. At the request of the committee, Kappel previously surveyed her neighbors about the sidewalks, which would have to be built in city right-of-way rather than being built into the street.
In April, Kappel brought results that 35 out of the 50 Mayfair residents she surveyed supported sidewalks, as well as eight out of 12 Roxbury residents who would be affected. The rest were opposed to sidewalks or unable to be contacted. In May, the committee discussed the idea with attending residents, most of whom were in support, and estimated the project would cost around $103,500 and require removal of at least 11 trees and some shrubs.
Since then, some council members and Greg Cobb from the department of building, engineering and zoning have walked Mayfair Drive to get an idea for where a sidewalk could be placed, and they put pink paint on trees that could be affected.
At the June 6 meeting, Cobb brought a preliminary proposal for the sidewalk path, which would run on the north side of Mayfair from Highway 31 to Roxbury Road, where an additional block would be paved. From there, the sidewalk would continue on the south side of Mayfair to Overton Park and a little beyond it.
Cobb and committee chairman Vance Moody, a Ward 2 representative, stressed that this was a preliminary design and the sidewalks were still very far from a final decision.
Neighbors in support of the sidewalks stressed that their concerns were for safety, especially since some families use the road to walk to and from school, the park or other destinations. They also mentioned the potential appeal that sidewalks would add to their neighborhood, as well as the ability to walk to Homewood shopping areas instead of drive.
“I think it’d be great to have a safe way to get our kids back and forth,” Kappel said, noting that there are about 45 children living on Mayfair and more on the surrounding streets.
Many more neighbors came out in opposition to the sidewalks as compared to the May 2 meeting. The primary concern was that the city building sidewalks into the right-of-way would require several large trees to be removed, and in some cases landscaping, sprinkler systems and hardscapes built by the homeowners. Since the right-of-way belongs to the city, residents would have to pay to replace anything removed. Several also noted that their yards would become significantly smaller if the sidewalks were installed.
“My yard is not large enough, nor can it handle a sidewalk through it,” said one resident who brought a petition with 24 signatures opposing the sidewalk.
Other resident concerns included the impact removing trees would have on the look of Mayfair, as well as whether the city would pay to maintain the path once built. A few homeowners said they did not see other sidewalks around Homewood being repaired. Ward 1 Representative Britt Thames said the annual city budget for those repairs is around $50,000, and was increased to $150,000 the last two years.
One Mayfair homeowner doubted the effect of these sidewalks on safety, saying pedestrians would continue to walk or run in the street, and one suggested that the council look into more police patrols and speed limit enforcement instead.
The committee carried over the discussion, but decided to take several steps to continue researching the matter. Moody asked Cobb to find more specifics about the cost of sidewalks and exactly which yards and trees would be in its path. In the meantime, Moody said he will talk to the police about more traffic enforcement as a short-term measure.
“Then I think we have something a little more concrete to talk about,” Moody said.
Ward 3 Representative Patrick McClusky said he would look into the possibility of a traffic study on Mayfair. The committee also hopes to hold a special meeting in the future to hear out the community's feelings both for and against the sidewalks.
The public works committee also:
- Carried over discussion of adding noise barriers on both sides of I-65 between the Oxmoor Road and Lakeshore Drive intersection. The estimated cost would be $2 million, and the committee wants to search for a more competitive price.
The planning and development committee:
- Sent several requests to the full council to rezone properties into the city from Jefferson County: 129, 137, 159, 167 and 209 Citation Court.
The special issues committee:
- Decided to have the Environmental Commission post information online for residents interested in having their properties treated for mosquitoes.
- Carried over discussion of changes to the tree ordinance to get a recommendation from staff members who enforce the current ordinance. There will be a public hearing in the future to consider the changes.
The finance committee:
- Asked the council to consider funding up to $2,500 for new directional signs downtown.
- Carried over discussion of updating the city's master plan in order to find out more details about the scope of the project.
The full council will meet on Monday, June 13 at 6 p.m.
