What you need to know
Under the Cibolo Unified Development Code, sidewalks shall be required along both sides of all streets throughout the city, except along I-35 and I-10.
Through the UDC, property owners are required to construct sidewalks during the development of the property, or make a payment for the construction of sidewalks.
According to the meeting agenda, property owners in Old Town were having difficulty meeting the requirements due to the size and configuration of older lots.
Council member Joel Hicks said one of his main concerns with the ordinance change is the safety that sidewalks provide to Old Town residents.
“Whenever we shut down Main Street for our [Downtown] Market Days, we have people walking down Pfeil Road, and I am afraid somebody is going to get hit,” Hicks said.
Council member T.G. Benson said safety is a concern, but the city should not be heavy-handed in the requirements for business owners.
“My hope would be that going forward we will find out what to do about sidewalks [in Old Town],” he said.
Moving forward, City Council suggested that staff look into a plan to add sidewalks to the Old Town area without putting that burden on business owners.
City Manager Wayne Reed said city staff is working on a Downtown Master Plan which will help identify the need for sidewalks and give the city the opportunity to apply for grant funding in the future.
