Crack sidewalk code

The Urban County Government’s code pertaining to sidewalk maintenance is tyrannical, selectively enforced and ineffective.

Code enforcers painted an X on three sections of sidewalk in front of my house and gave me 60 days to replace them and a legal threat for noncompliance.

The notification was initiated by the homeowners association, which specified that a 3/4 inch vertically displaced section “violates city code.” City code specifies “greater than one inch.”

Within a 12-minute walk from my driveway, there are 72 sections with vertical displacements ranging from greater than one inch to over three inches, not counting sections one inch or less that qualify for repair per the code. My three selected sections and those 72 unselected sections verify selective enforcement.

Politicians undoubtedly used concern for pedestrian safety to secure approval for the code that boils down to indirect taxation imposed on selected citizens. That makes it immoral, tyrannical and inequitable.

Sidewalks should be maintained with all-inclusive enforcement or legal taxation. Like streets, sidewalks are used by everybody and everybody should pay an equal amount to keep them safe — if pedestrian safety really is a concern. The 72 unselected tripping hazards cited above suggest otherwise.

This story was originally published December 15, 2016 at 6:47 PM with the headline "Crack sidewalk code."