Friends,

I want to provide you with an important update regarding Houston’s sidewalk ordinance and the steps being taken to address community concerns. As you may know, the current ordinance requires new home construction to include sidewalks or pay a fee in lieu of constructing the sidewalk. Generally, I am opposed to policy that acknowledges when something is not necessary but still mandates homeowners pay a fee regardless. While this policy was designed to improve walkability and safety, which I fully support, it has also led to some unintended consequences, such as the creation of “sidewalks to nowhere” and burdensome costs for homeowners.

Our office used Proposition A, which allows council members to put forth items on the weekly council agenda, to propose an amendment to the existing ordinance. You can read that language here. The purpose of the amendment was to alleviate homeowners having to pay for construction of sidewalks in areas where it did not make practical sense to have one, as illustrated by the picture in this email.

The language my office proposed led to more discussion among council members, city staffers and others. Today Mayor John Whitmire issued a memo informing Council that the Planning and Development Department will be proposing amendments to the ordinance. These amendments will expand exemption criteria, streamline the process, and eliminate confusion, making it easier to navigate the requirements. The goal is to balance the need for safe pedestrian pathways with the realities of development and neighborhood characteristics.

To address immediate concerns, the Mayor’s memo states that the Planning and Public Works Department will use discretion and waive sidewalk construction for single-family residential projects when building a sidewalk is not feasible or would result in a “sidewalk to nowhere.” You can read that memo here. This temporary measure aims to prevent unnecessary delays and costs while the ordinance is being revised.

I am committed to ensuring that any changes to the ordinance reflect the best interests of our community. I want to extend a special thanks to co-authors Council Members Tiffany Thomas and Carolyn Evans-Shabazz, and all my colleagues who supported this effort.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns, and I will keep you informed as this process moves forward.

Together we will!

Edward Pollard