The Snohomish City Council at a meeting in the upper level of the Carnegie Building in September 2022. The council meets at 6 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month at the Carnegie Building, typically in the lower level.
Photo by Michael Whitney.
SNOHOMISH — If a sidewalk needs repair today, it’s the homeowners’ responsibility whether they like having a sidewalk or not.
The city is looking to flip the script.
In 2025, it plans to study embedding a sidewalk charge into its utility bill for stormwater, and establish a city sidewalk program in 2026. It would use the money collected to pay for construction costs and for additional city employees whose job is doing sidewalk repairs.
The council directed city staff to pursue this idea at its workshop last week.
A recent city survey showed most people would prefer the city, not themselves, be responsible for sidewalks.
