Public Works Easements & Rights-of-Way

As the Town performs inspections of sewer lines, obstructions such as trees and fences continue to be discovered on utility easements. An easement is the property that the Town uses to access utilities such as water, sewer, and electric lines to perform routine maintenance and repairs. These obstructions hinder State required inspections and prevent Town employees from making quick repairs.

Large plantings within the rights-of-way also pose a threat to underground utilities and hinder repair activities. Rights-of-way are the portion of the roadside used for utility placement and roadside maintenance.

All easements and rights-of-way are indicated on property surveys. Home owners are urged to check their property surveys before adding fences or plants to insure that the easements and rights-of-way are kept clear.

The Town has added new buffer requirements to protect the quality of our streams. The Town no longer allows any construction within 100 feet of any stream that flows year round or within 50 feet of any intermittent stream.

These “riparian buffers” help filter the rainwater that flows from roads, roofs, and lawns before it reaches the streams. This buffer removes many pollutants such as oil from roads and excess fertilizer from lawns. We urge homeowners to be good stewards of the environment by keeping these buffers undisturbed to protect our most precious resource, our water.

If you need any clarification of these issues, or if we may be of assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at 362-8166. Thank you for your cooperation.