CAMBRIDGE 鈥 Cambridge officials have created a document outlining the responsibilities of residents to help clarify what property owners must take care of versus what falls to the city, a merchant or a utility company.
Officials decided to create this document because of increasing code enforcement issues within the past year that caused city staff to spend more of their time handing out citations and going to look at properties.
At a meeting in June, City Manager Glenn Steckman said Cambridge was stepping up its code enforcement as trash cans are increasingly left on the sidewalk, grass is going uncut and cars are parked in the wrong direction.
鈥淭here seems to be a lack of lawnmowers in our community because the grass and grass height has been an ongoing issue in the town, and we鈥檙e having to send violation notices out,鈥 Steckman said.
Per the document released this month, property owners are responsible for the following:
- Maintaining the weatherhead, the cap where the service line meets the building.
- Maintaining wiring from the weatherhead to the meter, and from the meter into the building.
- Maintaining and marking privately owned underground lines such as pet fences, sprinklers and outbuildings.
- Maintaining all piping from the outlet side of the gas meter through the building.
- Performing annual checks of gas line connections.
- Maintaining clean access points for plumbers.
- Maintaining the sewer service line from property line to building.
- Maintaining all plumbing within the building.
- Preventing unauthorized stormwater connections like sump pumps and downspouts.
- Maintaining sidewalks, driveways, aprons, sod, and ensuring they are safe for public use.
- Removing snow from sidewalks within 36 hours after snowfall.
- Trimming trees and shrubs so they don鈥檛 obstruct sidewalks. Must have seven-foot clearance on sidewalks or 12-foot clearance on streets.
- Immediately removing animal excrement from sidewalks, streets, parks or other public places unless physically unable.
- Maintaining the water service line from the curb stop to the building.
- Maintaining plumbing inside meter pits and within the building.
- Installing and maintaining a Pressure Reducing Valve (PRV) if required.
- Keeping the water pit visible and maintaining plumbing inside it.
- Keeping weeds, grass, and vegetation under 6 inches.
- Keeping property free of litter, refuse, and unsightly growth.
The city is responsible for the following:
- Maintaining, repairing, operating public sewer mains under streets and public areas.
- Repairing and maintaining curbs, gutters, streets.
- Maintaining water mains.
- Maintaining service line up to curb stop.
- If a water meter is in an outdoor pit the city owns and maintains the meter and the pit.
The utility companies are responsible for the following:
- Maintaining meters and transformers on property that are part of the utility system.
- Servicing lines from pole to weatherhead.
- Maintaining all equipment and piping up to and including the gas meter.
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