COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM / TEMPLEOGUE / FIRHOUSE / BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

MOTION NO.5

MOTION: Councillor J. Sinnott

This Committee notes the single road estate of Grange Downs, Rathfarnham which sits right at the border with DLRCC. The estate is in SDCC but the only road out of the estate is through DLRCC. DLRCC currently cut the grass verges on this access road. Despite the best efforts of residents it is not possible to persuade the DLRCC ground maintenance staff to cut a grass verge inside the estate as this is outside their jurisdiction. SDCC cut the large green areas with a tractor to the right of the estate and they cut the edges of the grass in the cycleway on the other side of the estate. However this leads to the very unusual situation of having a small strip of land inside the estate that is managed by neither council. The strip of grass in question is in front of the houses at the bottom of the U shaped road. The gardens of these houses are very small or paved and residents do not have suitable equipment to cut this grass. Anyone with an electric lawnmower would need to trail 2/3 extension leads across the footpaths and road to access this strip of grass. This is neither safe for members of the public walking on the footpath nor practical. To address this issue this Committee proposes SDCC adds this strip of grass to the grass cutting schedule of the small mower currently cutting the cycle way.- approximately 20 meters from where they are currently cutting grass. 

REPORT:

The grass strip in question is approx. 3m2 and is not suitable to be cut with a large tractor and mower. Grass verges adjacent to homes are maintained by private homeowners. The Council's policy is that grass margins within housing estates are the responsibility of the homeowner to maintain.