Who is responsible for landscape vegetation on private property ?

Landscape vegetation is defined as trees, flowers, or shrubs planted for landscaping purposes and does not include weeds or turf.

Property Owner Responsibilities

In order to keep city sidewalks and streets safe and accessible to the public, the owners of property adjacent to a city sidewalk or street shall prevent the landscape vegetation on his or her property from growing in a manner which interferes with normal sidewalk or street traffic, or poses a threat to safety of public rights-of-way due to obstruction of view, obstruction of passage or in any other manner.

When a Violation Occurs

When landscape vegetation located on private property is planted or has grown in a manner that interferes with normal use of a sidewalk, street, or right-of-way but that poses no immediate threat to public safety, a letter will be sent to the property owner from the Public Works Department asking that the vegetation be pruned or removed within a five day period. If the nuisance remains after the allotted timeframe the Street Department shall perform the necessary work.

Public Works Actions

Instances where landscape vegetation located on private property is planted or has grown in a manner that obstructs street signage, line of sight, or in any way poses an immediate threat to a street, sidewalk and/or to the public, the Public Works Director, or his / her designee, shall instruct the Street Department to perform the necessary pruning or removal of the growth that creates the hazard. Because of the threat to safety, time is of the essence and there will not be a notification letter to the property owner.

More Information

For additional information, please contact the Public Works Department at 502-352-2088.

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1. Who is responsible for landscape vegetation on private property ?