Denver set to create fee structure for sidewalk program

• The new guidelines establish the fee structure before the city is scheduled to start collecting money next January.
• The measure shifts maintenance responsibilities from residents to the city and allows Denver to collect fees.

How it works: Most property owners will pay an annual $150 fee under the plan, Department of Infrastructure and Transportation spokesperson Nancy Kuhn tells us.

• Property owners with 230 linear feet of sidewalk or more will pay an annual $150 fee plus $3.50 for every foot over that threshold.

Between the lines: The fee will be attached to wastewater bills, Kuhn says, that are sent twice a year, meaning the sidewalk fee will be split between the first and second half of each year.

• Multi-unit buildings like apartment complexes will likely see costs paid by whoever receives the stormwater bill, which could be an individual, the property owner or an HOA.

By the numbers: The city's sidewalk network totals nearly 3,500 miles, roughly the same distance as a roundtrip from Denver to New York City, per the city.

What's next: The city of Denver plans on creating a fee look-up tool on its website toward the end of the year.

• It will begin collecting fees in January 2025.