Jackson City Council Approves New Sidewalk Rules – February 2019
At its meeting last night, the Jackson City Council approved new ordinances governing water use and the maintenance of city sidewalks.
The newly approved sidewalk regulations now place the responsibility to repair and maintain sidewalks on the property owner adjacent to the walkway. Under the new law, the city can now require a property owner to make repairs if the sidewalk in front of their property is unsafe, and the ordinance makes property owners liable if accidents occur on sidewalks due to broken or uneven surfaces. This change, which has been adopted by several cities across the state, was suggested by Jackson’s insurance agency as a way to reduce potential liability to the city.
The newly approved water ordinance grants the city the power to cut off service to a customer if they blatantly waste water, such as failing to repair a major leak.
The ordinance also terminates several of the restrictions on water usage that were put into place during the latest California drought. Most suchconservation measures have been placed into state law and will now apply regardless of drought conditions.
Both new ordinances will require a second reading and approval vote and will then go into effect after thirty days.
