Private property

The City of Parramatta receives a significant number of resident requests in relation to overgrown properties.

The following information is designed to help residents understand when and why a property would be considered 'overgrown', and the compliance action(s) that may be initiated by the City of Parramatta to ensure the property is maintained to a reasonable standard to ensure that it does not pose a health and safety risk to adjoining properties.

An overgrown property is land which, in the opinion of an authorised City of Parramatta officer, is creating unhealthy and unsafe conditions by way of providing refuge of vermin, snakes and other pests.

The City of Parramatta is empowered under the provisions of the Local Government Act 1993 to preserve public health and safety in the local community, including overgrown vegetation on private property.

A City of Parramatta Environmental Health Officer will inspect the property to determine if the conditions present pose a threat to public health and safety (e.g. due to the length of grass, presence of vermin and/or rodents and similar pests).

The City of Parramatta's laws about overgrown vegetation do not apply to vegetation protected under federal, state or other local government legislation. If you have concerns about overgrown land owned by the state or federal government, please contact the relevant agency.

One basic initiative you can champion towards making Parramatta Australia's next great city is keeping yards free from overgrown vegetation. Cleared vegetation not only makes streets more visually appealing, which may increase property values, but also protects the community from snakes and vermin.

Residents and owners of land should also be aware that trees that overhang into neighbouring properties or vegetation growth over common fences can be a cause of annoyance to neighbours. This disturbance and any damage to fences is considered to be a civil matter and the City of Parramatta has no jurisdiction to act in this realm.

The City of Parramatta recommends contacting the NSW Land & Property Information for further assistance with these matters.

The City of Parramatta strongly recommends that residents/owners of land establish a schedule to maintain their land on a regular basis.

Nature strips help maintain the appearance of neighbourhoods and create a safer environment within the Parramatta Local Government Area.

The City of Parramatta relies on the goodwill and generosity of the residents and/or owners to maintain the grass nature strip adjacent to their property.

Due to budget constraints, the City of Parramatta is unable to maintain nature strips. Your assistance with communal nature strips, when next undertaking the maintenance of your own property is greatly appreciated.

In most cases, the best way to resolve an overgrown vegetation issue is to speak to your neighbours or the property owner directly. Often people are unaware that their activity, inactivity, or lack of property maintenance, is causing a problem and are usually happy to address the problem when notified gently.

If you have concerns about approaching your neighbour or can't reach an agreement, call us on 9806 5050.

Once the City of Parramatta receives an overgrown property request, it will investigate to determine if the property is in an overgrown condition.

If the property is found to be overgrown, regulatory action, including the issuing of cooperation letters and formal notices directing the property owner to manage and maintain the vegetation under the provisions of the Local Government Act, will take place.

If the owner does not comply with City of Parramatta’s directions, further regulatory action may be undertaken, including issuing of a penalty infringement notice (PIN).

If the owner does not comply, City of Parramatta will engage a private contractor to undertake the required work (with the addition of an administrative fee) at the expense of the property owner.

The City of Parramatta must also abide by legislative time frames and ‘procedural fairness’. Therefore, a property in contention may remain overgrown for a period of 8-12 weeks following the City of Parramatta’s initial notification.

The time taken to process requests will depend upon a number of variables including weather conditions and the property owner’s willingness to respond and manage overgrown vegetation.

The City of Parramatta provides a Community Assistance Lawn Mowing Scheme (CALM) for Parramatta residents who are frail or aged, or for people with a disability, and their carers.

Call us on 9806 5050 for more information.