This story leaves out the most important change in the sidewalk replacement program.

In the past, the city pracice allowed the property owner to pay over 6 years, and even up to 12 years for very large replacements. Royal Oak has changed the amount of time to pay to 60 days!!

This will create a hardship for those already struglling to pay their bills.

Not everyone in this city is in a position to absorb a $500 to $2000 unanticipated bill.

The sidewalks and land to the street are owned by the City, why are home owners expected to pay for the repairs? Not my property. Will the city pay for my driveway? Of course not.

They won't even come out and trim the tree on 'their' property, joggers have to run on my grass or duck to avoid getting it in the face by a branch.

Double standards.

Here we go again. If there is no sidewalk and someone choses to walk or ride on it, they take their own risk. A good example is the large slab of sidewalk running along 13 mile by the park. For who knows how long, there never was a sidewalk there or a need for one. i would question some of the court rulings that put us in this bind. We don't really need more sidewalks. Where I used to live, we had to replace a number of slabs. These slabs are of such poor quality and workmanship that they will need further work before the rest of the sidewalk. Check it out on the corner of North Lafayette and Derby. We need to take a long look at this master plan and really re-evaluate some of the goals they presented. I am sorry, but more cement is not the answer. You can have pockets of neighborhoods rather than one continuous city connection. Aren't we running short of money that could be spent in a more neede area? I am so tiredof having us run scared because the legal element tosses out the word, lawsuit and cave in running scared. WE need to stop, sit back and take a good look at where we are going and what is really important.

Is there a warranty to how long these new sidewalks are expected to last or the quality of the materials and workmanship? Some of the newer sidewalks that were replaced pit, crack etc. yet the city pays the contactor and the resident is left with a bill and damaged sidewalks that we have to pay for again. Who monitors the cement qaulity and work? If it is the city engineers they have done a poor job in the past. I urge ever property owner to monitor the workmanship and complain to the city commision if the work is poor. I had complained to the city workers when mycement work cracked and received excuses.

Royal Oak is scamming us. We were told at a meeting and in writing that we had until June 30, 2013 to pay without interest. Now they say 60 days. I have the original form. I hope most of you do too. Not only was the job poor. My sidewalk also has cracks in it. The dirt they left all over (without compacting it) turns into mud and is much more unsafe than the 3/4 inch lift in my original sidewalk. My mail carrier told me how she tripped and sprained her ankle when the city left the large gaps between the sidewalk and the grass for two weeks. Much more unsafe than a little crack. Also the 'grass seed' was sprinkled all over the sidewalk itself and barely any on the horrible debris filled dirt they left behind. Talk about a shotty job.
I emailed the city twice to no response and intool pictures of the job!! People please call the city and let them know that your original improvement notice claims you have until June 30, 2013 to pay before it goes on your taxes and you have to pay interest. I am calling all the newspapers, tv stations, and broadcasting this on my podcast and to my 3,000 Facebook friends. Why should we have to pay more for a shotty job?. And who qualifies for this 'no interest loan?'.
Maybe the city should focus on it's taxpayers and not all the crappy new bars!!!!

They quoted me $200. I just got a final bill for over $700... Giving me not 60 days, but 2 weeks to pay. I was on the phone with the city engineer who did nothing but blame everyone else, and complain about his salery, the city manager and his own life problems. I asked him why I was never informed it was going to cost 3 times what was quoted... He told me thats just how life works. Guess my husband or I will be picking up a third job to pay for the sidewalks which never needed to be replaced in the first place. Everyone head over and enjoy it! Ill be working... Welcome to totalitarian rule. I wish I had a business where I could force people to buy my product for 3 times what I tell them they cost.

Maybe with the tree root problems on seldom walked streets we could go back to wooden plank sidewalks that would be cheaper to replace and maintain. I am serious as there are wood planked sections with railings on parts of bicycle paths in West Bloomfield and other townships.
I have a stupid question. Just one for a change. Who pays for sidewalk repairs, or replacements in our CBD?
One more. Are there any provisions for financial hardship such as placing a lien on the property applying towards a future sale?

Want another good laugh? In West Bloomfield residents made good money, sometimes thousands, selling the right of way in front of their homes to the township for the construction of recreational bicycle paths.

Want another laugh? In West Bloomfield some property owners were PAID by the township to allow the construction of recreational bicycle paths on their right of way.
Some were paid thousands!

This whole program was bungled so badly, I still fume over it. Perhaps it's because they replaced perfectly good sidewalk for the second time in 15 years that get's me. First it's fine, then it's not. Pay this bill in two weeks or else. INCOMPETENCE TO THE EXTREME! You call the city to question why and get stonewalled. Never heard from engineering, ever. Except maybe the zero dollar estimate in Winter, suddenly in Summer I need replacement and then a pay in two weeks bill. Clearly, there is no accountability in the Engineering Dept.

Perhaps folks with issues can contact an attorney and file a class action law suit. I have heard there are numerous residents that had sidewalk slabs replaced that did not need to be replaced, or more were replaced than the resident was told. I do not know if the Michigan Attorney General has authority over this issue, but DO NOT GIVE UP! What is the warranty for this work? How long are the replacement sidewalks guaranted for? I know the City pays these contractors in a specified period once the projects are completed for the season, but what is the life expetancy?

None of my sidewalks were marked for replacement, and all slabs are in good shape, but I got a letter for a public hearing.

With the stories above, now, I'm worried that the city will replace some of my sidewalk and send me a bill because of the notice of public hearing I got. I can't afford another bill due in 14 days.

Contact one on the local television news stations, they all have problem solvers. Let them know of the numerous complaints.

Not a bad idea Duke. I place this squarely at the door of our non resident city manager whose convoluted thinking I am certain is if not entirely behind this is still responsible. Why our mayor will not or cannot put his foot down on this sidewalk rippoff is the big mystery. Maybe he is planning to retire? Where is the rest of our commission on this, why the silence, always silence when it comes to resident complaints. Then they wonder why we perceive that the downtown CBD gets all the attention.

Put your hatred aside Ron, the sidewalk policy has existed since the 1990s. He has made zero alterations. Making sure it is run properly is indeed an issue for him.

The sidewalk program was modified in 2012. A property owner previously had 6 years to pay for the repair. If the property owner could prove a hardship, the 6 years could be extended.