Talk of fixing aging infrastructure in Plano is focusing on the city’s screening walls.
The walls, which surround most neighborhoods, are required by ordinance to separate residential property from non-residential uses.
But when it comes to who must maintain the property, the issue gets complicated.
The city is responsible for 72.5 miles of public wall property, HOAs manage 18.5 miles and another 58 miles are left to private owners.
However, some of that private property has aged, showing wear and tear, and is cost prohibitive for homeowners to fix.
In Teakwood Estates, one of the walls bearing the name of the neighborhood has become cracked and crooked. Neighbors say it's been that way for years.
“If you see something like that when you first drive in, it does give you a bad impression of the whole neighborhood,” said Randy Culpepper of Tree House Lane. “It almost looks dangerous.”
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On Monday night, city council heard a proposal from the Plano public works department to assume responsibility for an additional eight miles of screening walls (an additional 11 percent of what screening walls the city already owns), currently the responsibility of private property owners.
The private owners would have to consent and dedicate necessary easements.
The plan would allow for the painting, maintenance, repair or even the removal of some of the screening walls deemed in poor repair.
On Monday night, there was debate among councilmembers over whether public money should be used to take on responsibility for maintenance that has been a private responsibility.
City council did not immediately approve the plan.
