The City of Parksville is reminding residents, property owners and business operators they are responsible for the maintenance and care of the city boulevard adjacent to their property.
This maintenance includes cutting grass, trimming hedges and shrubs and removing weeds and litter, according to a news release from the city.
The boulevard is the area between a resident’s property line and the street curb or shoulder which may or may not include a sidewalk. Property owners and residents are required to maintain the city boulevard bordering their property, where it borders the front, back or sides of the property. In Parksville’s climate, vegetation grows quickly and can easily become a nuisance or hazard if not managed regularly.
“Well maintained boulevards add character to neighbourhoods and enhance community pride,” reads the release.
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In the city’s bylaw, “boulevard” means the area of a highway between the edge of pavement, sidewalk, and/or curb of the roadway and the adjacent property line, but excludes a sidewalk. As detailed in Parksville’s Traffic Bylaw No. 1436, in keeping with a reasonable standard of maintenance, property owners must maintain the boulevard adjoining their property:
• Keep grassed areas trimmed and free of all weeds;
• Trim and maintain all plantings;
• Remove all garbage and recycling, leaves, rubbish, discarded materials, hazardous objects and materials from boulevards and sidewalks;
• Maintain safe pedestrian access to sidewalks;
• Maintain safe sightlines for vehicle traffic.
Failure to maintain boulevards may result in enforcement action from city bylaw compliance officers. Please direct questions to the city’s bylaw compliance department at bylaw@parksville.ca.
— NEWS Staff, submitted