Ensuring good visibility and safety for both pedestrians and drivers is behind the City of Cranbrook’s call to residents and businesses to please look after and maintain trees and shrubs along sidewalks and on street corners.

Overgrown hedges and low hanging tree branches in many areas across the community are blocking vehicle sight-lines at some intersections and crowding sidewalks for people on foot. Under the city’s Streets and Traffic Bylaw, residents are to make sure that all trees and shrubs are properly trimmed and cut back, so they don’t cause any physical obstruction or visibility issues to pedestrians or drivers on the sidewalks or streets, especially at intersections.

It is also important for residents to remember that they are responsible for trees on their own private property. If you have concerns around safety and potential property damage should a tree come down, you are encouraged to have a professional arborist assess and remove those trees.

When it comes to neighbourhood trees, it is important to talk to your neighbours and talk about any sightline or safety concerns. Be sure to also review your home insurance policy around damage to property or adjacent properties sustained from falling trees or other tree debris like branches.

The city is committed to the safe mobility of our residents and visitors either on foot, on bicycle or in vehicles. By keeping sightlines clear and unobstructed through maintaining trees and shrubs, we can continue to keep our streets safe and accessible.

If you find any overgrown trees or shrubs on city-owned property, which may be causing visibility or safety issues, please call us at 311 or use our new 311 app, take a picture of the issue and report it to us.

Lead image: An example of shrub overgrowth that can obscure sight-lines. City of Cranbrook photos

City of Cranbrook

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