Boulevard Use and Care By-Law Amendment

The Municipality of Chatham-Kent is amending By-Law Number 145-2020 (Regulate Use and Care of Municipal Highways) to clearly define the property owner’s responsibility for maintenance of the property in terms of boulevards and the driveway apron.

Highlights of the Proposed Changes to Amend By-law Number 145-2020 Public Highways – Regulate the Use and Care of Municipal Highways

Why are there amendments?

The current by-law 145-2020 does not clearly define the property owner’s responsibility for the maintenance of the property in terms of boulevards and the driveway apron.

What are the proposed changes?

Providing definitions of property deemed to be the responsibility of the owner to maintain:

Grassy boulevard that abuts the property, whether in front of or alongside the property.

This is often referred to as frontage (front of property) and flankage (alongside property).

Driveway Apron

The changes define what areas of the property must be maintained by the property owner in terms of grass cutting, weed management, sidewalk and driveway maintenance.

These changes will also provide clarity on the property owner’s responsibilities from the roadway to the municipal/private property lines.

Why are these changes being proposed?

Most communities require citizens to maintain the driveway apron and grass boulevard adjacent to their house. In Chatham-Kent, this has long been the historical practice as well, but the specific obligations have not been reflected in a bylaw. Maintaining these areas is good for all citizens to ensure that our neighbourhoods remain in good repair. When some property owners do not take care of these areas, it can have a negative effect on others in the neighbourhood. These changes to the bylaw will also allow for a clearer definition of the areas that grass-cutting contractors retained by the Municipality are responsible for, and as a result, it is anticipated to drive cost savings on future grass-cutting tenders that will benefit all taxpayers in Chatham-Kent.

When would the proposed changes come into effect?

After the public consultation process, the by-law will be presented to Council in September 2022 for consideration. Council will be provided with a copy of all the feedback received during the public consultation process.