Please sign this petition if you SUPPORT the City of Bellaire continuing to install SIDEWALKS on at least one side of each residential street. Bellaire’s residents, especially our children and elderly, need sidewalks to safely get around our city. (Note: This is not the "Pathways Plan," which City Council has indefinitely shelved). 

If you haven't had an opportunity to follow the discussion at City Council or on social media, here are a few facts to consider:

• City of Houston and Harris County engineering studies have shown that our packed clay soil saturates readily.  This means that the addition of sidewalks will not contribute to real-life differences in flood risk. The he Bellaire City Engineer, James Andrews, explained in his Hurricane Harvey Storm Event memo, "The single most significant flood control improvement project for our area has been under construction for many years and is outside the control of the City of Bellaire and under control of the HCFCD and Army Corps of Engineers. That is Project Brays...there is nothing the City of Bellaire can build on its own to remove flooding conditions during an event of this magnitude." To decrease the trend of these major storm events, Houston has got to reduce its automobile dependence, and installing sidewalks to get around Bellaire provides a safe, convenient alternative.
• Research shows that neighborhoods with sidewalks enjoy higher property values. In addition, walkable neighborhoods have been shown to have lower crime rates, because people walking become the "eyes on the street”. On top of that, sidewalks enable more physical activity and social engagement among neighbors, cut down on local residential congestion around schools and community centers, and have numerous other proven benefits. Sidewalks are the lifeblood of a vibrant community and are what today’s homebuyers are looking for!
• Sidewalks can be curved around existing trees as they do on many Bellaire streets already (see picture above), and can be flexible in their width and course from block to block. In fact, at the September 17, 2018 City Council meeting City Manager Paul Hoffman explained that for sidewalk projects in Bellaire the most important design consideration is what the resident wants, and the City works with the contractor to save trees, protect and if needed replace landscaping and homeowner design features. The City's presentation on this topic further explained that repositioning and repairing sprinkler systems is also budgeted in sidewalk projects.
  Earlier that evening Mayor Friedberg also explained, "Our policy, in putting in new sidewalks, is always to protect trees, and we have a demonstrated track record of doing that successfully. But not all trees are created equal. Did you know that Section 9-350 of our Code of Ordinances actually contains a list of 'undesirable trees?'" Mature oak trees are valuable to homeowners and the City, and they will not cut them down; rather, checkerplate bridges are installed to protect their root systems. 
• Bellaire is among the wealthiest cities in the nation and we maintain a Triple-A Bond rating (the highest possible!). This means we have the resources to continue implementing sidewalks while addressing other city needs.
• Addressing flood mitigation and other community priorities also matter. However, supporting sidewalks does not interfere with, nor lower the priority of, these efforts. Both can occur, and having a comprehensive plan in place will save city dollars in the long run. This can has been kicked down the road for far too long. Current Bellaire residents and most prospective homebuyers want a walkable Bellaire. If not now, then when? Let's do it!

Please show your support for installing sidewalks in Bellaire, which just makes good common sense. It will keep citizens safer and provide a higher quality of life, and uphold our property values.

We will present this petition to the Bellaire City Council so they better understand how many residents wish to move forward with reasonable sidewalks.