Hudson homeowner encroaches on public green space

Hudson town council has officially notified a taxpayer to stop encroaching on public green space.

Although no specific person is named or civic address cited in a resolution adopted Monday, council chastised a homeowner who lives on Sunrise Street for extending his yard area onto adjacent municipally owned land, compromising a walking trail. The green space in question is part of the 10 per cent of territory a developer was required to cede to the town when building in the Alstonvale area.

The resident being targeted laid sod on the public land, trimmed trees and removed property boundary pickets, costing the municipality about $900 for a surveyor so it could replace the delineation markers, said Councillor Deborah Woodhead, who added the town is following up on complaints lodged by neighbours.

“He must cease and desist and the trail has to be re-established,” she said. “He extended his property line to the trail. Although it wasn’t his property,” she added.

The resolution aims to resolve the matter confidentially without pursuing legal recourse, Woodhead said.

“We will work with him and make it very clear that this land needs to be given back. He has to remove his footprint from this land,” she said.

“He must realize and understand he cannot have it and that people are allowed to walk behind his property, it’s part of a trail,” she continued.

Meanwhile, a resident during question period informed council of a similar situation where a homeowner on Fairhaven Street is also encroaching on adjacent municipal green space.

Mayor Ed Prévost said this was the first time he had heard this claim, adding the town will verify the situation on Fairhaven.