Right-of-Way Maintenance Requirements

What is a public right-of-way (ROW)?

• A ROW is an easement for public travel, utilities, and open space.
• Abutting property owners have maintenance rights and responsibilities typically to the edge of the street surface (or centerline of the ROW if there is no street).
• ROWs may contain improvements such as public utilities, roads, sidewalks, bike or pedestrian trails. Some ROWs contain no improvements.
• Many ROWs serve as valuable open space for urban forests and wildlife habitat.

Property Owner ROW Responsibilities

Adjacent property owners are required to maintain the public ROW from their property line to the centerline of the ROW, including but not limited to:

• Vegetation and tree maintenance.
• •Litter and trash removal.
• •Sidewalk repair and maintenance, including removal of snow and ice.

Rain garden with low vegetation allows for clear sight lines at intersection.

ROW Vegetation Maintenance Requirements

• Keep grass mowed to 12 inches or less in height, including roadside ditches.
• Trim trees and vegetation to allow for a minimum clearance of eight feet over sidewalks and 15 feet over streets.
• Control and/or remove noxious weeds(permit required to apply herbicide).
• Meet the requirements for"minor landscaping" as defined in PTMC12.040.075C. See the Landscaping in the Right-of-Way brochure for more information.
• Remove dead, diseased, or dying trees(permit required). See Trees in Right-of-Way brochure for more information.

Keep Sight Lines Clear!

Property owners are required to maintain the "clear vision area" at intersections to allow motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians to have a clear view of oncoming traffic. As illustrated below, the clear vision area is measured from the corner edge of the street surface (pavement or gravel) 20 feet in both directions, and may also include private property. In the clear vision area, vegetation and other obstructions shall not exceed 30 inches in height and tree limbs shall be trimmed to a minimum height of eight feet to allow for an open view at intersections.

Public Works Department ROW Responsibilities

• Most street surfaces.*
• Water and sewer utilities.
• Stormwater infrastructure, including periodic maintenance of roadside ditches.
• Only trees in downtown sidewalk planters.
• Center median islands.

*Not all roads are maintained by the City.

When is a permit required?

A Minor Improvement Permit is required:

• To apply herbicide in a ROW.
• To establish gravel or paved parking in the ROW.
• To install raised beds, hardscaping, pavers, or planting walls in the ROW.
• To establish a rain garden in ROW.
• To grade roadsides.

A no fee ROW Tree Permit is required to
plant, prune, or remove trees in a ROW.