Notice of Public Hearing

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Ordinance No. 541 Amend Chapter 5 of the Village of West Salem Code of Ordinances to Address Sidewalk Encroachment and Prohibited Vegetation The Village of West Salem Board of Trustees will conduct a public hearing pertaining to Ordinance No. 541 on Tuesday, October 7, 2025. Ordinance No. 541, if adopted, will revise Section 5.04(K) as follows: (K) Obstructions and Encroachment. (1) A sidewalk obstruction refers to any object, condition, or action that impedes, restricts, or prevents the free and safe passage of pedestrians along a public sidewalk. This includes, but is not limited to: Vehicles parked or stopped in a way that blocks any portion of the sidewalk; debris, construction materials, or landscaping waste placed on the pedestrian path; trash bins, advertising signs, or personal property encroaching into the walkway; or overgrown vegetation of any kind or snow/ice that narrows or blocks the sidewalk. (2) An encroachment means any project, fixture, or obstruction that intrudes or invades on, above, or under public right-of-ways, diminishing its length, width, height, depth, or area, but without closing it to public travel. Overgrown vegetation of any kind and weeds growing in sidewalk cracks can block sidewalks, forcing pedestrians into the street, and can create tripping hazards. (3) No landowner or occupant of land shall allow branches of trees to grow over the sidewalk at a height of less than ten (10) feet, and no landowner or occupant of land shall allow any shrubbery, bush, or vegetation of any kind to encroach upon the sidewalk. This includes overgrown vegetation of any kind that narrows the sidewalk. No owner or occupant shall allow placement of any structure requiring a building permit, trees, bushes, shrubbery, or plantings, or any personal property items within two (2) feet of any sidewalk required by this Ordinance unless specifically authorized by other Village Ordinances. Ordinance No. 541, if adopted, will revise Section 5.04(L) as follows:  2 L) Failure to Remove. It shall be the duty of the Village Administrator to cause to be removed the snow and ice from any such sidewalks (pursuant to Section (J) of this Ordinance) or remove obstructions and encroachments (pursuant to Section (K) of this Ordinance) as shall be neglected by any owner or responsible person and to report the expense of such work to the Village with a tax description of the lot or parcel of land, in front of or adjoining which such work was done, and the Village Board shall cause such expense to be audited and paid out of the General Fund, and shall direct the Village Administrator to charge such expense to the lot or parcel of land adjoining which the same shall be incurred. The amount of such expense shall be inserted in the tax list, next thereafter to be made out, as a special tax against such lot or parcel of land and shall be collected as other taxes upon real estate are collected in the Village. A copy of the proposed Ordinance is available at the Village Administration Office. This hearing will be held at 6:50 p.m. in the Community Center Meeting Room. Ashley M. Bohl, Clerk/Treasurer Village of West Salem