Mowing & Maintenance - Road Reserve Berm & Road Sides
Introduction
Please see Council's policy below for the maintenance and mowing of the berm in road reserve and mowing of road sides.
Normally property owners are responsible for maintaining the frontage of their property. In some instances, Council may carry out the moving.
Council policy
Adopted October 1994:
| RURAL AREAS | |
|---|---|
| Straight roads | A 2.5m wide (maximum) strip along the road edge is mowed for safety and functionality reasons (assists run-off of water from sealed road). |
| Curves | Level of mowing depends on topography. Sufficient moving is carried out to maintain visibility around curves. |
| URBAN AREAS | |
|---|---|
| Properties where the section has been built on | Normally the owner of the property maintains the frontage as a matter of pride in their section. |
| Properties where the section has not been built on | Normally these sections are not maintained. Council maintains the frontage by mowing 1-2 times per year to the same standard that applies in rural areas. |
Urban areas exceptions:
- People who do not care - Council maintains the frontage by mowing 1-2 times per year to the same standard that applies in the rural areas.
- People who are no longer physically able to carry out mowing - at a minimum the frontages should be mowed to the same standard as rural areas. However, because this rural standard is a lesser standard than the property owner maintained the frontage to in the past and is now no longer able to do so (which may be upsetting for the property owner), Council may then wish to do more work for these people on compassionate grounds in the interest of promoting a tidy District.
Currently there are only a small percentage of properties that come into this category. A register is kept and the number of properties affected is monitored by Council. If the property is sold or the owner moves or passes away, the mowing is up to the new property owner to carry out.
How to apply to Council for maintenance of road frontage in urban areas:
- All applications shall be made in writing to Council.
- Each application will be judged on its merits.
- A letter will be sent either saying the application has been accepted and placed on the register, or the application has been refused.
Overhanging trees and vegetation
Council may require the owner of any land adjacent to any road reserve land (along the whole frontage of the land) to:
- Remove or trim overhanging tress, hedges.
- Cut down or grub up plants or spreading roots up to the middle of the road.
- The lowering of trees, hedges, fence or wall which may obstruct the view of the traffic.
This is covered under the Local Government Act 1974. Please refer to the Overhanging Trees and Vegetation on Road Reserve page for more information.
Private sections
Under the Amenity Protection Bylaw adopted on 21 February 2002 (click here to view our bylaws), if a justified complaint is received the occupier of the land will be required to maintain sections in a tidy manner.
Enquiries regarding this should be referred to the Environmental Services Department of Council.
Keeping the property neat can add value to the property and give the community a sense of pride. You can help your community by ensuring safe and efficient access for vehicles and pedestrians on road reserve.
