Who is responsible for mowing of public properties?
Inside the City of Houston, the Parks and Recreation Department (PRD) is responsible for mowing and edging all esplanades. PRD has a well-established esplanade adoption program – neighborhoods, organizations and businesses can adopt and pledge to mow, edge and maintain one or more esplanades at their cost. The city, by ordinance, requires abutting property owners to mow areas in the right of way that are between that property and the roadway – also known as “behind the curb.” If a public space is adopted, that organization is responsible for mowing and PRD will not mow. If an adoption ends, the PRD must be notified.
Outside the City limits, each County Commissioner’s precinct mows esplanades. Similarly, esplanades may be adopted and maintained by others. Utility districts (MUDs, WCIDs, etc.) and homeowner associations may also maintain such areas in neighborhoods.
NNMD also has a mowing program for commercial areas, which began with maintaining the esplanades that it adopted. As NNMD installed its monument markers, it added maintenance of those areas. To further improve the appearance of commercial areas of the District, NNMD expanded the care and maintenance of the esplanades and the right of way in the commercial areas along Bingle/North Houston Rosslyn, Antoine, Hollister, TC Jester, Pinemont and W Little York. This work has benefited the overall appearance of the area and supports the many commercial property owners who have invested in maintenance of their properties. This supplemental mowing is only of the major thoroughfares within the District.
What is the role of a Management District? NNMD was created by the Texas Legislature upon petition by commercial property owners. NNMD’s mandate is to improve public safety and security, enhance perception of the area, and to encourage economic development by supplementing city and county services, but to not supplant those services. NNMD services are funded by assessments levied on commercial properties within the District – this excludes single family homes.
