The Right of Way is the road and the area of land between the road and a property line. The Right of Way generally includes the curb, boulevard, sidewalk, ditch, driveway apron, and a portion of boulevard beyond the sidewalk.

The Right of Way is owned by the municipality and is subject to the rules of the new Encroachment By-law.

An encroachment is any type of soft landscaping, tree edging, vegetation, natural or manmade object or item of personal property not belonging to the Township which exists wholly upon, or extends from private property onto the boulevard, and can be aerial, surface or subsurface.

Creating an encroachment by planting, installing or placing things in the Right of Way can cause issues with:

• Safety: Encroachments can impact traffic sight lines and/or create tripping hazards.
• Accessibility: Sidewalks must remain clear for people of all abilities, including those using mobility devices.
• Access to Infrastructure: It takes extra time, planning and money to remove encroachments when the Township is working on the Right of Way. Encroachments can also interfere with snow removal.
• Neighbours: Disputes about potential encroachments can cause issues among neighbours.

The Encroachment By-law will reduce these issues by providing clear definitions about what can and can't be placed in the Right of Way.