Title
An Ordinance of the City Commission of Coral Gables, Florida, creating Section 82-5, under Article I, Chapter 82, Vegetation, of the City of Coral Gables Code, providing for maintenance of hedges on private property, providing for a repealer clause, severability clause, codification, enforceability and providing for an effective date.
(Sponsored by Vice Mayor Keon).
Body
Throughout the City, hedges exist on private property as they provide privacy, serve as a sound barrier and add to the aesthetic character of homes. Hedges are often planted along the rear and side property lines of lots in the City and, depending on their location, hedges can impact the right-of-way. Hedges planted along a shared property line can, and often do, impact the abutting property.
This Ordinance creates an obligation on the hedge owner to maintain all sides of hedges provided that the adjoining property owner permits right of entry. Should the adjoining property owner refuse to permit entry, the maintenance obligation is removed from the hedge owner and placed on the adjoining property owner to maintain their side. The adjoining property owner is expressly permitted to trim to the hedge to the property line. For hedges abutting the right-of-way, the full maintenance responsibility, for all sides, rests with the hedge owner at all times.