A Billings resident is fed up with a peculiar problem: drivers are rolling onto his lawn due to a bizarre sidewalk anomaly! But who's responsible for fixing it?
Homeowner Sam Ouzts has had enough of discovering tire tracks on his front yard, located at the intersection of Rehberg Lane and Colton Boulevard. This issue has been an ongoing frustration for years, with the latest incident occurring on a frosty Tuesday morning.
'Get off my lawn!' exclaims Ouzts, expressing his exasperation. The tracks in the frost revealed the recent nature of the intrusion, raising safety concerns in a neighborhood with two nearby schools.
The root cause? An unusual mistake in the sidewalk construction. Instead of a typical curb and sidewalk, there's an approach to a driveway, which confuses drivers and leads them onto Ouzts' lawn. This error has resulted in six incidents over the past five years.
But here's where it gets controversial: City Council member and engineer Scott Aspenlieder acknowledges the oddity of the situation but places the financial burden on the homeowner. According to Billings city ordinance, the lot owner is responsible for sidewalk maintenance and repairs.
Ouzts is now considering a creative solution: planting a hedge as a natural deterrent. Aspenlieder supports this idea but warns that even the best engineering can't prevent reckless driving.
So, is it fair to leave Ouzts with the bill for a city-wide problem? Should the city step in to correct this unusual construction error? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
