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Council Tightens Protocols Around Overgrown Sections
Council Tightens Protocols Around Overgrown Sections
Under RDC’s new protocol for managing complaints about properties with overgrown vegetation that pose a fire or health risk owners will now have only 14 days to address the situation before Council contractors are instructed to do the work.
Ruapehu District Council (RDC) has reviewed its response protocol for responding to complaints from neighbours concerned about the fire and health risks posed by overgrown sections.
Under the new protocol property owners with over grown sections that pose a fire or health hazard will now have only 14 days to address the situation before Council contractors are instructed to do the work.
RDC Team Leader Community Property, Rebecca Van Orden, said that the old response process placed a high demand on council’s resources as it involved multiple officer visits to a property before an owner was notified.
“The length of time involved before owner notification and any action being taken was also unsatisfactory for complainants who felt nothing was happening and had to live with the risk,” she said.
“Under the old response protocol it could sometimes be a couple of months between Council receiving a complaint and any actual work being undertaken if the property owner did not respond.”
“With the new protocol only a single visit is required by a Council officer to determine if the section poses a fire and/or health risk.”
“If it is determined that a risk exists the owner will be notified in writing and given 14 days from the date of the letter to cut and remove any overgrown vegetation.”
“If a second inspection shows that no action has been taken Council’s Parks and Reserves contractor will be instructed to do the work and an invoice will be forwarded to the property owner.”
Mrs Van Orden said that overgrown sections can pose a real fire hazard at this time of year and people should be mindful of the risk to their own property and that of their neighbours and keep vegetation down.
“So far this summer there are 20 properties that we are inspecting to determine if the section poses a fire and/or health risk.”
“The majority of these have been in Taumarunui, however based on previous summers we are expecting complaints from around the district if the hot, dry weather continues.”
“Council feels that the new response protocol will provide a fairer and more practical solution to the fire and health risks posed by overgrown sections,” she said.
ENDS
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