Posted this morning on Next Door Newton..
For those of you who have hedges or shrubs in front of your house. Please go out and check out how much of the sidewalk they are taking up. In some places half the sidewalk has been taken over. I am part of a walking group and this is very annoying. When you do have the hedge trimmed, please go right up to the top. Trimming the 1st foot, so you can see the sidewalk doesn’t work.
See for reference north side of Elliot St.
This is not just about convenience for recreational walkers. Instead, put yourself in the position of someone pushing a stroller, walking a dog, pushing a cart of groceries, etc.
I believe that this can be reported on 311. I’d heard previously (probably apocryphal, possibly wishful thinking) that if the homeowner does not respond, the City has the authority to trim back to the sidewalk line. Can anyone confirm?
…and it’s not just the sidewalks. Some of those hedges can obstruct driver views too.
@Chris Steele – My guess is that the City does indeed have that authority but never wields it
There’s a plastic bag filled with pebbles lying in my driveway, with the name of a landscape company that could maybe help?
Interesting that the city is willing to cut the hedges but not clear the snow. A foolish inconsistency.
The landowner has the sole authority to cut plants that are on, or over, their property.
So hedge growth over the City sidewalk is the responsibility of the City to address.
It is nice that people often do cut back growth from the sidewalk as a courtesy, but no one should be chastising people for not maintaining another person’s property!
#Doorcoach, Why would you hire anyone who drives around tossing garbage on the ground for other people to clean up to do anything?
@Chris Steele – It CAN be reported on 311. I do it.
Best to take a photo and upload it.
It goes under the “Brush/Bushes obstructing sidewalk” tab: To report overgrown brush, bushes, or other issues obstructing a public sidewalk.”
Yes, you can report it via 311. And yes, if it’s egregious the City will contact the homeowner and give them a deadline by which to trim their hedges so they don’t obstruct the sidewalk. And yes, if the homeowner does not comply, the city will do it and bill/fine the homeowner. But it will generally not be a quick process.
David M. – it’s true that I can’t go onto my neighbor’s property to trim parts of my tree without their permission . And it’s true that they can trim the parts of my tree that overhang their property without my permission . But that’s not the situation here – you do have the city’s permission to stand on the sidewalk to trim your hedges. And it’s against the law to block the public sidewalk – whether it’s with debris, a car, or your bushes.
@Tricia, Trespassing on another person’s property is not the issue here. Is there a City Ordinance that compels a landowner to cut bushes hanging over sidewalks adjacent to their land? I’m not aware of any such requirement.
Absent of such a requirement, common law dictates the landowner is responsible for tree (and bush) growth on, and over, their land. Furthermore, the landowner is NOT responsible for natural, healthy, growth that travels on, or over, an adjacent land. see, https://www.mass.gov/info-details/massachusetts-law-about-neighbors-and-trees
I do agree a person can not block a sidewalk and would be liable for placing debris on City property.
See also, City website: http://www.newtonma.gov/gov/parks/forestry/maintenance/limbs.asp
> [the City] will only remove down trees or limbs from private trees if we deem it to be an immediate hazard to the public and it is hindering the use of a public way and it is located within the public right of way. Please be advised that the intentional placing of tree limbs in a public right of way may constitute a violation of City Ordinance and may subject the owner to a potential fine.
This has been an informative blog. As a runner, I would say every run I encounter sidewalks that are blocked by those giant, portable basketball hoops, cars that stick out of driveways and overgrown hedges. There are a few routes that I take where some people have had their sidewalks blocked consistently for many years.