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THE MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF GUYSBOROUGH
BY-LAW NAME: Municipality of the District of Guysborough Sidewalk By-Law
BY-LAW #:
20
AMENDED DATE: June 21, 2023
GENERAL
1. This By-Law is entitled the "Municipality of the District of Guysborough Sidewalks By-
Law".
2. This By-Law applies only to sidewalks and abutting property and to activities or
conditions affecting such sidewalks and property.
PART 1 - DEFINITIONS
1. In this By-Law:
a. MUNICIPALITY - shall mean the Municipality of the District of Guysborough;
b. ABUTTER - shall mean the owner, lessee or occupier of any premises or lot in the
Municipality which abuts a street where sidewalks are to be or have been installed within
the Municipality of the District of Guysborough;
c. CROSSWALK- shall mean that portion of a roadway within an area serviced by
sidewalks where any portion of a roadway is clearly identified for pedestrian crossings
by lines or other markings on the road surface;
d. DPW - shall mean the Director of Public Works and includes a person acting under the
supervision and direction of the DPW;
e. STREET - shall mean any and all roadways, highways, roads, lanes, sidewalks,
thoroughfare, bridge, curbs, gutters, culverts and retaining walls in connection
therewith and includes the full right-of-way width within the Municipality that are
owned and maintained by either the Department of Transportation or the Municipality;
REMOVAL OF ICE AND SNOW FROM SIDEWALKS
1. The Municipality shall assume the responsibility for the removal of snow and ice from
sidewalks that were installed by the Municipality.
2. The removal of snow and ice required by the immediately preceding section of this By-
Law shall be such as to leave an area entirely cleared of snow and ice of not lesser width
than either:
a. 1 meter; or
b. the full width of the sidewalk.
3. The Municipality will make every effort to complete the removal of snow and ice from
sidewalks as soon as possible following a storm.
4. When a sidewalk is slippery in the winter due to the presence of compressed snow or ice,
the Municipality will apply sufficient sand, salt or gravel to provide good traction for
pedestrian traffic:
a. on any sidewalk installed by the Municipality;
b. on any access to a crosswalk.
5. Abutters shall ensure that snow, ice and icicles, etc. on a roof, trees or any other structure
within their property are removed so that they cannot fall onto a sidewalk at an uncontrolled
time or in an uncontrolled manner.
6. When an abutter fails to remove snow, ice or icicles from adjacent roofs, trees or other
structures that could endanger pedestrians on the sidewalks, as required by this By-Law,
the DPW may give to the abutter an order to remove the snow and ice within twenty-four
(24) hours or forthwith (to correct dangerous circumstance) upon service of such notice.
7. If the remedial work ordered pursuant to Section 9 is not made within the time provided
for by the order, the DPW may make or cause to be made such snow, ice or icicle removals.
8. The Municipality may recover the expense incurred in making snow, ice or icicle removals
pursuant to Section 10, together with costs and pre-judgement interest by action in any court
of competent jurisdiction, or may charge and collect same as a first lien on the property.
9. Nothing in this By-Law creates a duty upon the Municipality to inspect or become aware
of hazardous conditions created by snow or ice on or near or overhanging sidewalks.
Council hereby declares, having regard to the resources and fiscal priorities of the
Municipality, that it is the express policy of the Municipality:
a. only to carry out inspections upon receiving a complaint about such conditions in
respect of a specific location; and
b. such complaints shall be deemed to be remedied upon the removal or remediation
of the hazardous condition that existed at the time of the making of the complaint.
VEGETATION IN STREET RIGHT-OF-WAY
1. Abutters shall maintain any grass between the curb and a sidewalk abutting their property
and between the curb and their abutting property except in areas designated by Council
resolution as exempt from this requirement including:
a. clipping, cutting or mowing the grass to a height of not greater than 8 cm.;
b. raking and renewing grass as necessary in order to maintain a neat and tidy
appearance;
c. collecting and removing litter or waste.
ENCROACHING VEGETATION
1. Abutters shall trim the branches of trees, hedges, bushes or other shrubbery which encroaches
from the abutting property over a street so as to prevent such tree, hedge, bush or other
shrubbery:
a. from interfering with pedestrian traffic on a sidewalk;
b. from interfering with or affecting the sight lines of any person on a bicycle or in a
motor vehicle travelling on the roadway up to a minimum height of 2.25 meters; or
c. from interfering with any structure on or in a street.
NUISANCE
1. No abutter shall place, permit to be placed, or permit to escape from the abutter's property or
driveway, dirt, dust or other nuisance onto the street.
DAMAGE
1. No person shall move or drag any heavy load over or deposit any heavy load on any sidewalk
unless the sidewalk has first been protected by a covering of boards of adequate thickness to
prevent any visible damage or disturbance to the surface of the sidewalk except as authorized
by the DPW.
SIDEWALK SIGNAGE
1. Signs shall not be placed or left on the sidewalk so as to obstruct the traffic of pedestrians, or
wheelchairs, and without limiting the generality of the foregoing, shall only be placed in a
manner that leaves a minimum width of one (1) meter of sidewalk unobstructed between the
curb and the signage or between the signage and the nearest building or other obstruction to
the interior of the sidewalk and shall contain a maximum signage face area of one (1) square
meter.
PENALTY
1. Any person who contravenes any provision of this By-Law is punishable on summary
conviction by a fine of not less than $50.00 and not more than $500.00 plus any and all
costs incurred by the Municipality to correct the contravention.
REPEALING
1.
All former Sidewalk By-Laws, passed by the Council of the Municipality of the District of
Guysborough are hereby repealed and this By-Law substituted therefore.