Some Royal Oak residents are outraged by a new city initiative requiring them to foot the cost of implementing new sidewalks on side streets that don't have them.
They say it comes at a huge expense to owners, given that the city passes off the costs to residents.
With two homes off of Glendale street, Richard Lannen says the city tells him he has to pay over $9,000, roughly $4,500 per home.
But Lannen says it's about more than the money. It's about the trees that may have to get bulldozed to pave the way for construction -- something he says will negatively impact the historic character of the community.
But the city is defending the program, saying in a statement to Channel 7 that, “Royal Oak is a walkable community and it is the city’s strong opinion that sidewalks overwhelmingly benefit the community....sidewalks increase pedestrian activities and keep people safe.”
The Royal Oak city council plans to hold a vote on Monday, May 22nd, where they will listen to the concerns of community members before making a final decision on whether to move forward with the project.
