pavement removal along sidewalk
We’re looking into removing the pavement in front of our bldg so that we can plant a garden. Anyone ever done this? Did you get a permit? It’s our own property, but it runs adjacent to the sidewalk. Who do I speak to? The DOB? The DOT? I can’t find any specific language in the…
We’re looking into removing the pavement in front of our bldg so that we can plant a garden. Anyone ever done this? Did you get a permit? It’s our own property, but it runs adjacent to the sidewalk. Who do I speak to? The DOB? The DOT? I can’t find any specific language in the building code for this particular situation. Thanks for any leads!
vinca: thank you!
Thanks everyone. All helpful info. This area is inside our property line according to the most recent survey. It’s not fenced in yet, but we’re putting up a fence at our property line as well. Anyway, thanks for weighing in.
Bkyn05: The link below will answer some of your questions and also has contact information. We have a flowering tree in our areaway which we’d never give up; it was selected knowing that it’s mature size would be appropriate to its location: http://www.nycgovparks.org/sub_permits_and_applications/images_and_pdfs/TREE_WORK_PERMIT_application.pdf
You’ll also find useful links/information here: http://www.bbg.org/exp/bigtrees/info/
We did this in our front yard without a permit and had no problems. Of course that doesn’t mean what we did was technically correct. As a practical matter, the jackhammering took less than an hour and our neighbors seem to view the planted area as a vast improvement over the former concrete paving, so I don’t know how it would have become a problem unless a DOB inspector happened to drive by while the work was being done. But your neighbors might be different.
I have a related question. The owner before me planted a tree in a small garden plot in our “areaway”. I don’t think he realized how big the tree would get. It is 2-3 stories high. The tree is breaking up the concrete in the areaway and the sidewalk. We want to keep the tree and to keep the sidewalk safe (and avoid fines). So we are also trying to figure out if we can claim some of the sidewalk to give the tree a bigger pit. Right now, it is all behind a fence. We did get a notice from the city that we should try to keep the tree (part of PlaNYC, I think) and fix the sidewalk. Any leads on a contractor who would do this? The one time I had a tree guy look at it, his only advice was to get rid of the tree. OP: don’t plant a tree!
This is an existing property so all that matters is where the legal property line is. If the owners find that the areaway, or what was once an areaway, is still within their private property line then I advise them to put up an ironwork railing ASAP. Re-claim it as private. If you have the proof that its your property, I would not go to the DOT, I would just do it.
If it is no longer part of the property (many blocks had the property lines pushed back to the facade by the city in anticipation of street wideneing) then you will need to apply to DOT for any work.
Thanks SenatorSt, understood. But since discussion is revolving around areaways and yards, just wanted to add links relative to thread, to zoning, and to future initiatives under PlaNYC.
Piggybacking on the question – is a path from the street to the front door required in a front yard? If so what are the minimum dimensions? I looked at Zoning and can’t find any minmium paving requirements.
Vinca –
Unfortunately the yards text amendment applies to New Construction not alterations.