Rocks in county ditches to seek public input

Justin Seward

Commentator/Courier

Cypress County council approved the motion to have a public hearing for Bylaw 2018-32- Hamlet Public Roadway at its Aug. 21 meeting.
The county’s direction was to go with a bylaw rather than a policy, so that enforcement is allowed on Hamlet Public Roadways.
There will be more than just vegetation, rocks or debris on hamlet boulevards, ditches, laneways and alleys that will be addressed in the bylaw.
Now the bylaw will include consideration for maintenance practices and future construction goals to coincide with the growth of hamlets.
“Probably one of the biggest factor was allowing for rocks in ditches because there are a few residents throughout the Hamlet of Dunmore who have rocks in their ditches,” said Curtis Richter, the county’s director of public works.
“That’s what kind of brought it on is to get some feedback from the public. It has to do with vegetation too because if you have rocks in your ditches, it’s a different way of maintaining the ditches .”
“But I’ve added in the bylaw that the home owner will be responsible for the ditches and for their boulevards and vegetation in laneways at the mid-point of the lane.”
The county maintains the ditches and the upkeep becomes more difficult when there is rocks in them, while if the residents are aware of ditch clearing, then Cypress County will not have to be responsible.
“There will have to be restriction on the size of rock,” said Richter.
“You don’t want them too small so it washes away or you don’t want it too big to stop dams in the water.”
The date for the public hearing has yet to be set.
Meanwhile, in Richter’s public works report to council, roadside mowing has been stopped because of the fire ban and if a rock were to hit the blade, a fire could be started.
Only 75 per cent of the first cut has been done.
The Seven Persons Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project is at a “steady pace” with no significant issues moving into Week 7.
The traffic accommodation plan is working effectively for the project.