Decorah businesses will be allowed to use more space on city sidewalks

On a 5-2 vote, with Randy Schissel and Chuck Lore opposed, the Decorah City Council has approved a new ordinance covering sidewalk displays.

The previous city ordinance allowed merchants to use up to three feet of the sidewalk where the sidewalk was ten feet wide.  In cases where the sidewalk was less than ten feet wide, merchants could use only two feet of sidewalk.

The new ordinance, which will go into effect when it is published, will allow merchants to use five feet of space on a ten foot wide sidewalk and three feet of space on a sidewalk less than ten feet wide.  The Americans with Disabilities Act will still require that there be four feet worth of sidewalk width to allow individuals with disabilities adequate access.  This requirement is in effect even if there are benches or other objects on the sidewalk.

In voting against the ordinance, Chuck Lore said he had heard from several elderly people that the sidewalks with red decorative bricking on the edge are very slippery when wet, so there should be an adequate walking area on the regular sidewalk portion.