On What Perimeter Is It Necessary To Clear Brush In Urban Areas In France?

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Brush clearing is an operation that falls within the framework of garden and green space maintenance. It is one of the quickest and most practical methods of eliminating weeds, reducing the amount of vegetation, and keeping the landscape open. This will make your garden easier to maintain and more functional and aesthetically pleasing.

Standards for clearing brush

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There are standards that must be met when clearing brush from your yard. This may vary depending on where you live. If you live in an urban area, the entire surface of your property must be cleared of brush. However, if your residence is located near a non-urban area, the area to be cleared extends 50 meters beyond your house unless explicitly stated otherwise.

A neighboring property may be included in the area that you must clear. In this case, you must request permission to enter the property from the owner of the land by registered letter with acknowledgment of receipt. If the owner does not give you access, it is up to him to take care of the clearing.

This practice is subject to rules set by prefectural or municipal decree. The regulations can be consulted at the town hall of your place of residence. According to the rules in force, this operation is mandatory for areas exposed to fire risk. In this respect, if your property is located in the vicinity of parks, forests, and woods, clearing the brush is mandatory. Therefore, this operation is necessary not only for your safety but also for the inhabitants around you and the areas at risk.

Penalties for non-compliance with regulations

In case of non-compliance with the rules established for clearing the undergrowth, sanctions are foreseen. Indeed, each day of delay will be subject to a fine of up to 100 euros. The mayor can set the amount. As of the notification of the formal notice, you are obliged to pay the specified amount until you have cleared the brush from your garden.

If you have failed to carry out the clearing of the undergrowth and this has caused a fire that has harmed others, you may be sentenced to one year in prison and fined 15,000 euros. Different types of fines can also be imposed, such as an administrative fine of up to 30 euros per square meter and a criminal fine of up to 750 euros. If your home was the victim of the fire, your insurer might provide additional insurance to cover the deductible of up to 5,000 euros.

Methods of clearing brush

The clearing of undergrowth can be done at any time. Two methods can be used to do it. These are mainly the chemical and mechanical methods. On the one hand, chemical cleaning can be applied for the ventilation and sanitation of green areas. This requires the use of chemicals. It is best to implement this technique in the spring so that the plants can absorb them better.

On the other hand, mechanical clearing requires the use of a clearing machine, and this method requires a high budget. However, to find the most effective and economical method, it is highly recommended to hire brush cutters.

Penalties incurred in case of non-compliance with the regulations

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In case of non-compliance with the obligation to clear brush, the mayor of your municipality may send you a formal notice obliging you to carry out the brush clearing work. You will then have one month to carry out the work. After this period, the municipal services will take care of this operation at your expense. You will incur penalties of:

    • 30 € per square meter not cleared
    • 100 € penalty per day of unfulfilled obligation
    • 750 € (or 1500 € for a housing estate) of criminal fine
    • 15 000 € and 1 year in prison if it has facilitated the spread of a fire
    • 5000 € additional deductible for your home by the insurer

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