Dubbo Regional Council considering changes to mowing nature strips, laneways

Council is currently considering the idea that the maintenance of "thousands of kilometres of nature strips" - the area between the property and the kerb and gutter or roadside - and "kilometres of laneways" throughout the local government area fall to the property owners, rather than council.

Manager of operations Craig Arms is hoping that by taking some of the work away from council, horticulturalists can focus on things like the city's gardens, rather than mowing.

During a presentation at the February committee meetings he outlined the time spent mowing various areas of Dubbo. For example, the Tracker Riley Cycleway takes 11 days to mow, and Regand Park is another six.

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He also highlighted the costs of contracting some of the work out.

To hire someone to mow the village easements in the local government area would cost $170,000 per year.

Nature strips within public reserve areas - like parks and gardens - will continue to be council's responsibility, as will those at council facilities.

If the policy goes ahead, in cases where footpaths and nature strips become overgrown, council may write to the property owner and remind them about mowing.

Director of liveability John Watts said while shifting the responsibility to property owners could be a "minor inconvenience to property owners", there was also an "increased likelihood that all nature strip and laneways [will be] maintained to a suitable standard.

"It is not practical to expect council to maintain some or all of these areas. The financial and time cost would be exorbitant," Mr Watts said.

"No other council is known to maintain these areas routinely."

A decision will not be made by council until the community has an opportunity to understand the proposed changes and give feedback on the idea.

Councillor Josh Black said council staff were "doing what they can".

"It's such a Herculean task to maintain all of those spaces," he said.

"I've certainly thought over the years 'gee, what is council doing with all my money and then I see a presentation like that and I think 'how to they do so much with so little'. You can only stretch a dollar so far."

Deputy mayor Richard Ivey said a well-maintained LGA would lead to investment.

"Being the economist I am, I'm sure there's almost a direct relationship between the standard of that work and the $182 million-worth of DA approvals we get," he said.

"The better the place is, the more attractive it is, the better it's looked after, the evidence of pride in the community will drive development. I think it's really important that that's realised."

The proposed policy for the nature strips and laneways will go on public exhibition for 42 days to allow feedback.

That feedback will then be presented to council before a decision is made.