Today at the Sioux Falls City Council informational meeting during the open discussion the boulevard debate was re-opened. Most of the council was in agreement to re-visit it and supportive of letting adjacent property owners plant/landscape what they want there, with some exceptions.
This is a huge step forward. Our legislative body has been flexing their muscles lately.
There’s to many other problems for the city to take up this matter. It becomes important when the city wants to use selective enforcement to harrass certain citizens the mayor wants to terrorize. Case in point: Danielson versus City of Sioux Falls. One resident was issued hundreds of citations over a 20 year period. He was falsely arrested. Court found no violations and dismissed. There’s been no final filing because the city refuses to respond.
Home Rule city government is without, beside, and against the people. It’s best to accept you’re isolated in tax servitude. Rule of law can’t help you. Strong mayor and his attorney are aware of this.
My only concern about boulevard plantings are those which affect traffic sightlines, such as at an intersection where tall plants obscure drivers’ view of oncoming traffic. I experienced this a few blocks from Sanford Hospital for several years.
Michael, that was brought up in the discussion. Kiley mentioned a height requirement, which is good.
As I understand it, it will be a basic ordinance. They basically will allow any kind of landscaping/plants/forage as long as is does not impede safety (in the street) this could include loose rocks and tall plants. They will also require the adjacent homeowner to be responsible for any damage to the boulevard if the city needs to dig it up. In other words, if the city has to dig up a flower branch and discard it to work on a sewer pipe, you will be responsible for replacing it, not the city or other utility companies.
There definitely needs to be a height requirement.
Signs cannot block a driver’s line of vision, so, certainly homeowners should not be allowed to have plantings that do the same thing.
Good Example:
Try making a left-hand turn onto East 26th Street from South 6th Avenue. Issue: plantings in the boulevard of home on the NE corner of this intersection block drivers’ line of vision (even from an SUV)!!!!!!!