Some people are confused as to who owns the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. If you live in a Home Owners Association (HOA), they often handle the landscaping work in that area.
If you live on a street in a single-family home, the county or town might handle it. But bear in mind that you may be responsible for maintaining it. It is important to find out who owns it and who is responsible for maintaining it.
The strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street is called a road verge but has many synonyms, and it is usually public property. It is normally maintained by the county, but there are times when it is the homeowner’s responsibility. The best way to find out is to call your municipality and ask. The same applies if you live in an HOA.
Whether you are renting or you own your home, you will want to know whether or not you are responsible for maintaining it.
Continue reading to learn about road verges and who is responsible for them.
How Do You Find Out If You Own the Strip of Grass Between the Sidewalk and the Street?
The best way to find out who owns this strip of grass is to go to your local municipality. This could be a town, village, or county, and they will have all of that information.
They will also know who is responsible for maintaining it and any other rules about this area.
If you live in an HOA, you can ask the association. They will know who owns it, and they often take responsibility for maintaining it.
However, you could be responsible for it as well. This is one of those topics where the best thing is to ask because every municipality and HOA is different.
Can You do Gardening on the Grass Between the Sidewalk and the Street?
If you find out that you do own the strip of land between the sidewalk and the street, you might want to know if you can choose the type of landscape for it.
Even if you technically own the land, there is usually an easement, and it is often not up to you what it looks like.
In other words, in most municipalities, you can’t be too creative with your landscaping. Even if it’s technically yours, it really belongs to everyone and you typically don’t get to decide what to plant there.
If you live in an HOA, they will also have an easement if you own the land. You should contact your HOA or your municipality to find out exactly what you can do before you make any decisions.
What Is a Right of Way Easement?
The sidewalk and the strip of grass between it and the street usually has a right of way easement. This allows access for people to travel across your property.
There may be utility lines under the ground that the municipality needs to access as well.
Homeowners must keep the sidewalk and the area in front of their properties free of trash and possessions, and they can’t park across it and block access.
The good news is that the municipality is usually responsible for maintenance and repairs of the area that has an easement. However, you need to check to make sure because sometimes the homeowner is responsible.
What to Consider If They Let You Do Landscaping
If you are allowed to plant and handle the landscape, you need to keep in mind that when the municipality has an easement, they may need to dig to access utility lines down below.
You should consider leaving it as grass or planting something inexpensive. You should also remember that people may walk their dogs or walk on the grass, so don’t plant anything delicate and expensive.
===>You may be interested to find out: Trimming the Grass Over the Fence Line -Who is Responsible?
Conclusion
When you rent or buy a home, you may wonder who owns the strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. The answer varies depending on your municipality or HOA.
Most frequently, this area is public property, and the municipality or the HOA will be responsible for maintaining it.
However, you need to find out because, in some locations, the property owner is responsible. They may let choose what to plant but bear in mind that there will be an easement, and it is best to simply plant grass.
The best thing to do is check with your local municipality and your HOA to find out how your road verge is regulated.
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