Residents urge council to pursue sidewalk funding near Orchard Hill development

Chelsea Madison (65 Harvard St.) used the public forum to press the council to act on a resident petition about deficient sidewalks adjacent to a 294‑unit Orchard Hill apartment project. She said roughly 50 residents signed the petition and asked councilors to either submit the petition to the mayor on residents’ behalf or refer the matter to planning and the Department of Public Works for evaluation.

Councilors and the clerk explained the budgetary constraint: the city council cannot appropriate funds for the sidewalk project without the mayor including the item in the fiscal year budget or as a supplemental appropriation. The clerk recited guidance that a private developer donation could be accepted into a gift account held by the treasurer pursuant to state law, provided both mayor and council approved spending for a designated purpose. Councilors offered to forward the petition to the mayor and to follow up with the petitioner offline.

Next steps: Councilors offered to forward the petition and work with the petitioner and the mayor’s office and DPW to explore possible funding pathways; the petitioner was advised to provide the petition copy to the clerk for record and follow up with the assigned councilor.