Home-owners share a responsibility for creating and maintaining quality neighbourhoods. Home-owners are required to maintain their property, keep boulevards safe and clean and respect their neighbours by keeping noise levels down and adhering to property boundaries.

There are a number of City Bylaws in place that relate to homeowner responsibilities. The most frequently requested bylaws in this area relate to Boulevard Maintenance, Unsightly and Untidy properties, Tree Management Bylaw and the Noise Bylaw.

Boulevard Maintenance

Under the Boulevard Maintenance Bylaw, residents and property owners are required to keep their boulevards safe and clean.   

 

What is considered a boulevard?  

The boulevard is the area that runs along an individual's property, such as a sidewalk or landscaped area between the property line and the street.

 

Common Boulevard Maintenance issues:

• Caring for vegetation
• Boulevard construction
• Rubbish removal

Care of Vegetation

 

Do's and Don'ts of caring for vegetation on your boulevard

 

Do...

 

• Water all landscaping and vegetation regularly
• Remove harmful weeds
• Correct hazardous or potentially hazardous situations
• Report vegetation growing around power, cable or telephone wires to your local utility company

Don't...

 

• Let grass on the boulevard exceed 15 cm (5.9 in) in height
• Use pesticides on City property and boulevards
• Damage boulevards, trees, shrubs, plants, bushes, hedges, fences or street lighting
• Cut trees without obtaining the consent from the City arborist
• Let rocks, gravel, pebbles, bark mulch or other loose landscaping or surfacing materials escape and fall onto any sidewalk or roadway

Boulevard Construction 

Under the Boulevard Maintenance Bylaw, residents and property owners cannot:

 

• Build any structures including fences, walls, retaining walls and rockeries on the City boulevard
• Erect any signage
• Plant trees, hedges, bushes, shrubs and other landscaping that could:
  • Grow over 0.91 m (3 ft) in height
  • Partially or wholly obstruct access to any sidewalk
  • Inhibit the safe use of the road by vehicular or cycle traffic

Rubbish Removal 

Help keep our City safe and clean.  Please maintain your sidewalk and boulevards by removing:

• Litter of any kind
• Accumulation of soil, leaves, grass clippings, branches, twigs and weeds
• Garbage, other then which is properly placed on the sidewalk or boulevard for weekly garbage, recycling and yard waste pickup
• Compost material that may encroach onto the boulevard or sidewalk
• Objects that pose a hazard to pedestrian

Sightline Obstructions  

Sightline obstructions are hazards that can impede the ability of pedestrians or motorists to safely and adequately view oncoming traffic or pedestrians.  The most common sightline hazard is overgrown vegetation on sidewalks and walkways.  

 

While the City is responsible for preventing sightline hazards that front City property, resident and property owner are responsible for avoiding hazards on their personal property.  

 

Some tips:

• Maintain a height of 8.0ft (2.45m) for all vegetation
• Trim foliage as needed so that sign faces are always in clear view.  Pay particular attention to:
  • Visibility of street signs
  • Street name signs
  • Regulatory parking signs
  • Directional signs and Checkerboard warning signs
• Keep fences in line with the "Fence Heights Schedule" as specified in the Zoning Bylaw
• If you live on a corner
  • Ensure that tree branches provide 6ft (1.83) of clearance
  • Keep shrubs no taller than 3ft (0.91m)
• Report any trees that pose either an immediate hazard or possible danger to the City Arborist at 604-927-3664. If the tree is blocking a road please contact Operations Customer Service at 604-927-3500
• Residents or property owners, with sightline hazards on their property will:

1. Be visited by City staff to confirm the nature and severity of the problem
2. Receive a letter of warning, with a request to the fix the hazard within a given time frame

 Failure to comply with the request can result in:

 

1.      A fine of $50.00

2.      City staff fixing the hazard, with all costs incurred by the City being charged to the resident or property owner

 

The City of Coquitlam staff generally carry out routine inspections during May, June, September and November.  At this time, if any obstruction related hazards are found, property owners will be notified in writing.  If you come across a sightline obstruction, please report it to the City immediately at Operations Customer Service, 604-927-3500. 

Note: Charges not paid by December 31 of the year they are incurred will be added to the following year's property tax notice.

Tree Removal Procedure

The Tree Management Bylaw enables the conservation, removal and replacement of trees throughout the City. The Bylaw was developed to preserve trees, regulate the cutting and removal of trees, require the replacement of trees cut down; and allow for enforcement in these matters. A Resource Guide Book provides information to assist residents and developers through the required steps to complete a tree cutting permit application.
 
If you are concerned about a tree, and it is on City property, please call the Parks Work Control Technician at 604-933-6226. If the tree is on private property, please call the Environmental Services Arborist at 604-927-3482.

• The City Arborist will inspect City owned trees and provide an assessment of their condition. Only trees determined to pose a high level of risk will be removed.
• The City does not assess private trees, however the Environmental Services Arborist can assist property owners on retaining a professional ISA certified arborist.
• The City will remove trees that have fallen on a City street and trees that have fallen from City-owned lands onto private property.
• For information on the consequences of tree topping please click here.

Sidewalk Hazards 

The City of Coquitlam maintains over 340 km of concrete sidewalk and 14 km of gravel and asphalt walkway, which are inspected for hazards such as trip potential, obstructions, water ponding, and vegetation on a regular basis. 

 

"Hazards" put the personal safety and property of individuals at risk.  We encourage you to report any sidewalk safety concerns you may have, regardless of how severe they may or may not be.  Remember it's better to be safe then sorry! 

Noise Bylaw

The City's Noise Bylaw is in place to address concerns related to noise that is prolonged, such as:

• construction noise outside of the hours of 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday to Saturday
• loud music that disturbs the neighbourhood
• loud parties that disturb the neighbourhood
• barking dogs

Unsightly/Untidy Premises

To help promote tidy, attractive neighbourhoods, the City has an Unsightly Premises Bylaw that addresses some key standards for maintaining a property. If the owner does not meet these standards, the City will send a notice to the property owner to clean up the property.  Common violations in this bylaw relate to:

• dilapidated, broken or leaning fences
• garbage and debris
• old and/or wrecked vehicle(s)
• dilapidated exterior, broken windows, etc.
• uncontained compost piles
• unmowed grass
• overgrown vegetation or noxious weeds

• graffiti on fences, buildings or structures