Did you know that part of your yard is made up of rights-of-way, and your property line doesn’t begin at the edge of the road or sidewalk closest to your home?
The City of Calgary is responsible for managing access to municipal rights-of-way in Calgary. A right-of-way is an area that gives the City space to install infrastructure (e.g., street light poles and trees), while also giving shallow utilities (i.e., power, gas, and telecommunications providers) a place to install and maintain their critical infrastructure.
When utility work is required in your community, crews can apply for the permits required to access the right-of-way to install infrastructure, both above and below ground. All properties contain a road right-of-way, but only some properties have a utility right-of-way on them. In most cases, the utility right-of way starts at your property line and extends inward, toward your home. The space the right-of-way takes up in a yard will vary and it can also be located along the side of your home or at the back.
As a homeowner, you are responsible for mowing and general maintenance, but it is technically the road right-of-way and is considered public land.
For more information or to learn where the right-of-way is located on your property, visit Calgary.ca/row.
