“Right-of-way means your local government can dig and
remove several feet of your yard to expand a road or create
a sidewalk as well any other reasons deemed necessary.”
Photo credit: Tom Oder


– Editor’s note:
Many Yelm area citizens can relate to this story. Others should be forewarned with this terrific information.


– “What every homeowner should know about the right-of-way”
“You could lose several feet of your yard without much warning.”

“You may want to ask your city council exactly what rights (if any) you have as a homeowner regarding right-of-way laws. For example, are they required to give advance notice to homeowners of non-emergency, scheduled work? (And if so how far in advance? Also, how will they disseminate that information (letter, email, text, personal visit or door hanger)?

In my neighbor’s case, even though his neighborhood received notices, he was left wondering who is financially responsible for the repairs to his sprinkler system.

“Even with the best efforts and intentions, and even when the work is for a project property owners requested — which it was in this case — it’s jarring to see someone operating a mini-excavator digging up your carefully landscaped and maintained front yard, especially one in which you have a considerable financial or emotional investment.

You may want to ask if the contractor or local municipality will restore the property to the way it was before the work began.,” by Tom Oder, Mother Nature Network.
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