I'm sure there's some code preventing them from putting the sidewalk right along the street and grading the ramp less steep, but that would fix it.
 
Alternatively, they could raise the sidewalk about a foot and a half.
 
I'm sure those people are a lot less likely to use the garage for storing other things and parking their autos in the driveway. Intentional?
		
		
	 
 
Based on the pics from that other link they could have easily brought the house down to grade, although I don't know what the backyard looks like.
 
Here in north Texas, they come into an area, strip all the topsoil off... in some cases 3-5ft of it, and build on top of about 3ft of clay over rock.  Then they sell the top soil back to you when your grass dies because nothing can grow in the clay and backfill.  Then, in 10 years or so, you have to call the foundation people to come in and fix your broken slab from the clay heaving.