Homeowners will find themselves legally responsible for blown
tires and broken legs caused by miles of cracked and pot-hole
filled back alleys under a new policy city council will debate this
week.
Gilroy – Homeowners will find themselves legally responsible for blown tires and broken legs caused by miles of cracked and pot-hole filled back alleys under a new policy city council will debate this week.
The possibility of ceding legal control of public alleys to homeowners was first floated by Mayor Al Pinheiro in the spring, as he and other city leaders awoke to the dilapidated condition of Gilroy’s network of century-old alleys.
The first round of serious discussion on the topic will take place during a Friday policy summit. The informal policy talks allow the seven members of the city’s top governing body a chance to explore new policy ideas, set spending priorities and give direction to city staff members.
The alley issue is one of the most costly items on the city’s list of unfunded liabilities, so-called because they expose the city to lawsuits for injury or property damage. Cracked sidewalks and uprooted storm drains also contribute to the estimated $100 million in needed improvements.
In addition to unfunded liabilities, council members next week will discuss a variety of issues aimed at increasing affordable housing, preventing sprawl and revitalizing the downtown.
The policy summit offers a better glimpse of council’s priorities than residents get on the campaign trail or during regular council meetings, when officials must debate within the confines of open meeting laws.
“It’s a good chance to listen to your elected officials talk about what their vision is,” City Administrator Jay Baksa said. “In regular meetings you don’t get that. This is a chance to hear your elected officials talk about things that may not happen tomorrow but five or 10 years down the road.”
