Cleves council reviews ordinance making adjacent property owners responsible for right-of-way grass maintenance

Council members reviewed a proposed ordinance to clarify property-owner responsibility for maintaining grass in the public right-of-way adjacent to private parcels. The measure would place the maintenance obligation on the owner where a curb or verge separates yards from the road and there is no sidewalk or asphalt.

Rob, the village solicitor, explained that property lines sometimes extend to the center of the road or are set back several feet; that ambiguity has meant no party routinely cut grass in some strips. The ordinance would generally make the adjacent property owner responsible for mowing the grass from the back of the curb to the property line, excluding areas where curb is asphalt and maintained by the county engineer.

Why it matters: Council members and residents said those unmaintained strips lead to weed growth and damage to aesthetics. Officials said the village service department would address weed growth in asphalt or other county-maintained areas where the county engineers do not perform routine maintenance.

Discussion highlights: A resident asked whether owners would be responsible for vegetation growing in asphalt or gutters; staff said owners would be responsible for grass in the curb-to-property strip, but not for weeds growing in the asphalt or within county-maintained gutters. The service department will continue to coordinate with Hamilton County engineers for areas the county controls.

Actions and next steps: This ordinance was discussed on second reading; staff will continue to refine language and bring it back for formal adoption. The solicitor said the measure is not limited to East State Road parcels and would apply wherever the issue exists.

Ending: The ordinance aims to close a maintenance gap and give the village a cleaner streetscape while clarifying enforcement responsibilities for property owners.