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Kokua Line
June Watanabe
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Ordinance restricts hedge heights
Question: Is there a law that you have to cut your hedges no more than 3 feet tall? My neighbors' hedges are too high and I can't see someone walking when I back out of my driveway. I'm afraid I might hit someone.
Answer: There is no such law.
However, the city traffic code (Section 15-24.6 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu, "Obstruction of intersection"), does refer to "3 feet," but only specifically at street corners/intersections:
The ordinance restricts the height of walls, fences, signs, hedges, trees, shrubbery, etc., to "no more than 3 feet above the nearest edge of the abutting roadway ... at the corner of any street intersection within the area of a triangle, the apex of which is at the intersections of the property lines at such corner, and consisting of two sides each extending 30 feet from such apex along the respective property lines and the third side being a straight line connecting the respective end points of the two sides."
That's probably as clear as mud.
But the ordinance goes on to say the 3-feet height may be exceeded:
"The height of any such wall, fence, sign, hedge, tree, shrubbery or similar structure or plant growth, subject to any height limitation imposed by any law, ordinance or regulation, may exceed 3 feet upon determination by the director of transportation services that the same does not obstruct vision or constitute a traffic hazard."
The chief of police is given authority to issue a citation "requesting the removal of the obstruction there from within one week from the service of such notice."
This boils down to: if any wall, fence, sign, hedge, tree, shrub, etc., obstructs vision or poses a traffic hazard at street corners, city officials say you should call the Honolulu Police Department.
However, if it's a matter of obstructing pedestrian access along the sidewalk, call the city Department of Planning and Permitting (527-6308).
The department uses Section 14-20 of the Revised Ordinances of Honolulu -- "Cleaning and Maintaining Sidewalks" -- as the basis of its authority, said Art Challacombe, chief of the department's customer services.
Basically, every property owner whose land is next to a public street "shall continually maintain, and keep clean, passable and free from weeds and noxious growths, the sidewalk and gutter area which abuts or adjoins the property owner's property.
"However, a property owner is not required to maintain the area if doing so may be hazardous or where there is no reasonable access from the property to a sidewalk and gutter."
Mahalo
To Dr. Lindsey Kimura and his assistant Toni for their kindness and generosity. They have gone beyond just providing me with chiropractic care and I am very grateful for their aloha. -- Reiko
Got a question or complaint? Call 529-4773, fax 529-4750, or write to Kokua Line, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., No. 7-210, Honolulu 96813. As many as possible will be answered. E-mail to
kokualine@starbulletin.com.
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