Olympia Planning Commission to review sidewalk repair policy feedback

The Olympia Planning Commission is going to look at an effort to develop a long-term sidewalk repair policy, as city staff will present early feedback from the public on the issue.

The commission will weigh in on the issue after the group digests the public feedback at a meeting on Monday, May 4. 

In 2024, the city identified widespread sidewalk deterioration through a systemwide inventory that documented approximately 27,820 instances of damage.

A staff report stated the city is working to address the backlog of repairs while clarifying responsibility.

Under Olympia Municipal Code 12.36, adjacent property owners are responsible for sidewalk maintenance. However, the city has enforced the code unevenly. Courts have also found cities can be held liable for injuries caused by unsafe sidewalks.

In response, Olympia created a capital sidewalk repair program, funded at $500,000 in 2024. Work has included repairs at multiple locations, as well as full block-face projects in 2025 on State Avenue and one on the west side on Kenyon Street.

“One lesson learned from this experience was that it reduced overhead costs to repair full block faces rather than several disparate locations,” the staff report states.

The city plans to continue to focus on fixing block faces in 2026.

In addition to this effort, the Olympia City Council has funded four new positions to expand sidewalk repair work. The crew will handle straightforward repairs, while the capital program will focus on more complex projects.

Survey

To help guide policy development, the city conducted a survey through an online “story map” in March, asking residents where repairs should be prioritized and what role property owners should play.

Survey results show 49 percent of respondents favor prioritizing routes to common pedestrian destinations.

Written comments also showed a range of views, including calls for a hybrid approach — fixing sidewalks near destinations and in neighborhoods. Some suggested splitting the funding between the two, noting many people walk in neighborhoods.

Several people supported a “worst first” approach, as well as prioritized the most-used sidewalks.

On the question of responsibility, 56 percent of respondents supported limiting repair requirements to larger property owners, such as schools, parks, shopping centers and apartment complexes.

Many commenters said the city should take on more responsibility for all sidewalk repair, or offer financial or technical assistance for homeowners, such as seniors or people with limited incomes.

Staff will use the commission’s feedback to help develop a policy proposal. It will be presented to the Land Use and Environment Committee on May 28. A full city council discussion on the topic is tentatively scheduled for July 21.