Denver sidewalk fee proposal gets public hearing Monday

Correction: This story has been updated to clarify details from the proposed ordinance and correct the date of the final vote.

DENVER ( KDVR ) — Denver property owners could be required to pay an annual sidewalk fee next year.

There will be a public hearing Monday night on the sidewalk fee structure . The final vote is slated for next Monday, Sept 16. Initially, Ordinance 307 was passed by voters in November 2022 to create the fund, but it faced several delays.

Basically, this resolution shifts the responsibility of fixing sidewalks to the city but on the property owners’ dime.

The first time it was proposed, property owners would have been charged per linear foot , now, almost all property owners would pay a base rate of $150 per year. There is an exception for larger properties with more than 230 linear feet of sidewalk; they would pay an additional “impact fee” of $3.50 per foot.

There is also an option for low-income residents to apply for a fee reduction.

The flat-rate structure is estimated to bring in $40 million to pay for repairs, projects and administrative costs.

If approved on Monday, property owners would be charged half the annual cost as part of their stormwater bill in the first half of 2025. The other half would be charged in the second half of the year.

While the resolution has required that an initial plan be fully implemented within nine years, the city says an amendment will allow room for it to be implemented “as soon thereafter as determined practical.” The plan prioritizes repairs to sidewalks that are in severe disrepair, hazardous or don’t comply with accessibility standards.

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