Jeff and Shirley Crisci wish people could see things from their perspective. As most of us zip along in our cars or trucks, the Grass Valley couple make their way between the shopping centers of Brunswick Basin and their Sutton Way apartment in wheelchairs.

Jeff, who has cerebral palsy, rides in a power chair and acts as a guide for Shirley, who is legally blind and confined to a manual chair.

Thursday, Shirley fell victim to a crack in the sidewalk near Wells Fargo Bank and tipped out of her chair, scraping her lip. A passerby was able to help her up — but the condition of Grass Valley's sidewalks remains a continuing concern for the disabled couple.

The Criscis said Nevada City Highway and Brunswick Road also are problematic.

“I get road rage on the sidewalks,” Jeff said. “It's really bad.”

Rockwood Drive resident Leo LaBrie — who depends on his scooter for transportation — got so fed up with the state of the sidewalks that he barraged the media and the city with a list of issues, complete with photographic evidence.

“I hope something can be done,” he said. “This is a retirement community.”

LaBrie said many disabled residents end up being confined to their homes because of overgrown shrubbery and broken and buckled concrete. Too, he said, many sidewalks either don't have a curb cutout in order to cross the street or the curb has a high lip, which can be dangerous.

“I try to go into Grass Valley with my scooter and I can't make it,” he said.

LaBrie met recently with Mayor Lisa Swarthout and Public Works Director Tim Kiser, who were responsive to his concerns, he said.

And, in fact, the city is in the midst of approving a new sidewalk ordinance and a sidewalk inspection program to help identify problem areas that could potentially cause an injury to pedestrians.

The City Council is scheduled to host a second hearing on the issue at its next meeting Nov. 10. The new ordinance is meant to amend the municipal code to clarify that it is the responsibility of property owners to maintain and repair the sidewalks in front of their property. It also states property owners are liable for any injury or damages resulting from dangerous conditions. The inspection program will evaluate potential hazards and either suggest or require repairs.

According to Kiser, sidewalk inspections already are done by city staff, usually in response to a complaint. He estimated about three to four repair letters are issued every month.

In other news:

• The council voted unanimously Tuesday to amend the General Plan map, approve the development review application and adopt the mitigated negative declaration for the Community Recovery Resources Hope Project.

Project architect Jeff Gold told the council the project was awaiting federal funding and it was hoped CORR would break ground in July 2010 and open for business in July or August 2011.

• The council approved a resolution Tuesday that would allow the city to authorize a bond on property tax monies borrowed by the state. The funds, which total about $387,000, is a loan the state of California thought it needed from local property tax revenues to help balance its budget.

The original plan was for the state to pay the city back within three years. But instead, a deal has been worked out where a third party issues bonds for the money, which the state will pay off in the future.

“The bottom line is, it allows us to ... receive 100 percent of the revenue this fiscal year,” said City Administrator Dan Holler. “We had built our budget in the expectation that we would not get that money back for three years. This will help balance our budget, to offset the decline in sales tax revenue.”

To contact Staff Writer Liz Kellar, e-mail lkellar@theunion.com or call 477-4229