Vegetation requirements

All Frankston City Council residents are required to manage and uphold minimum standards for maintaining trees and shrubs that encroach on Council land, such as footpaths and roads. This helps to create a safe environment for traffic and pedestrians, particularly for people who are visually impaired, using mobility devices or pushing prams. It also assists in keeping the municipality clean, tidy and visually appealing for residents, visitors and the general community.

Council officers conduct regular inspections (bi-annually) of the municipality to ensure compliance.

Compliance Details

As outlined in Frankston City Council’s Community Local Law (2020)

Law 3.13 (c)

A person must not allow a tree, shrub, bush or other vegetation to hinder, obstruct or interfere with the operation of any drain, pit, road or footpath vested in or under Council management or control.

Law 3.13 (d)

Where any tree, shrub, bush or vegetation on land hinders, obstructs or interferes or is likely to hinder, obstruct or interfere with the operation of any infrastructure (including but not limited to a drain, pit, road or footpath) vested in Council or under Council’s management or control, an Authorised Officer may serve a notice on the owner or occupier of the land requiring the owner or occupier to take such remedial action as is specified in the notice.

How you can ensure compliance

  • Keep shrubs and tree branches cut back to their property line and to a minimum height of 2.5 metres above footpaths.
  • Private vegetation hanging over the road must be a minimum of 4.5 metres from the road surface and 200mm (20cm) from back of kerb.

In addition, preventing grass growing over the edge of the footpath helps to create a safe environment for footpath traffic and pedestrians.

Overhanging branches from neighbouring properties is a civil matter for which Council does not have jurisdiction.

Disputes over these matters must be resolved respectfully between neighbours.

Tree Protection Local Law

To help protect Frankston City’s tree canopy, a permit is required to prune trees by more than one-third, if the trunk measures 110cm or more around its base.

Penalties apply for those who do not comply with the minimum standards, which can be found in the Frankston City Council Community Local Law 2020

Good and Bad Examples of trees and shrubs adjacent to Council land, such as footpaths and roads

Good Example Bad Example
Good example of trees and shrubs adjacent to Council land, such as footpaths & roads Bad example of trees and shrubs adjacent to Council land, such as footpaths & roads

 

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