STREET RESERVATIONS

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2895, 6 October 1916, Page 7

STREET RESERVATIONS

■ Tho City Engineer was asked recontly < to report on the question of, the advisability or otherwise of granting permission to persons'to encroach' on the unformed road "reservation of public streets. • The Engineer's report on the question waS as, under:—"With, reference to tho matter' of encroachments on street reservations referred to at the last meet- ; tag of the Outlying Districts Committee, I- informed the committee that in ; my,-opinion no consent should be want- ; ed to the' occupation of any portion of a public "street reservation unless tho enclosing of Eamo would be a safeguard to the general public, or of some benefit to the corporation. This practically (would mean.that only in the case of sidling roads the fences might be permitted along the edge of the formation on the-lower side of the road; or in some other cases ; where a road has been permanently completed with, kerb, channel,' 1 and asphalt, hut which work, does not extend! to the correct boundary, line of tho street. The advantage in'the latter.case would bo that the bank and slopes of:the road reservation would bo. oared "for and maintained by the private owner. Where the ground l is practically level with the road, and where the road- has not been completed, lam strongly of'opinion that encroachments should not bo permitted. If the above conditions were acted upon it would reduce the number of oncroachments which the council would bo asked to consent to, and which, in my opinion, is very, advisable. Tho amount of work which iB now required to be done, consequent upon tho very great number of applications (necessitating in many cases tho taking of measurements and location of tho Toad reservation . and the preparation' of plans for tho information of the council), should be considerably reduced. Furthermore, tho erection of fonces in encroaching positions' is confusing to tho work of tho Department, and will ultimately mea'ntha't a now standard survey of tho whole of tho now districts of tho city will be necessitated, owing to the faofc that the evidences of occupation are totally, incorrect. Tho above, I think, makeu it clear in which cases only consent should be granted." Tho Engineer's report was adopted.