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Adjacent Owners

This section addresses the owners that have property adjacent to the V&E Greenline. As a point of reference, the V&E Greenline is 50 feet wide from Watkins to McLean and 100 feet wide from McLean to Springdale

Owners wanting to access the Greenline for any construction, alteration, grading, vegetation and tree removal or anything else will need to file a written application to the V&E Greenline, 1680 Jackson Ave, Memphis, TN 38107. The policies related to this requirement follow:

Owner Responsibility Policy

“The V&E Greenline requires that owners performing construction (including tree and vegetation removal, fencing, and bank stabilization) that involves entering or altering V&E Greenline property must receive written approval from the V&E Greenline Committee.”

Both committee members and staff are required to inform the committee about construction being considered. An email to the committee roster is required.

Committee members should notify land owners of the policy when they see construction activity. VECA CDC staff is to make it known to owners that construction cannot take place without approval of an application and sites plan.

Neither an individual committee member nor VECA CDC staff can give an owner permission to make alterations in V&E Greenline property. The V&E Greenline Committee can make that decision either in a meeting or through email.

Policy for Owners

Owner Responsibility: Any homeowner, contractor, public agency, or utility (called owner in this document) that will enter V&E Greenline property to perform any construction must first make written application to the V&E Greenline Committee. No work is allowed until approval is given by the committee in writing. The committee will provide its response in writing to the applicant and will in turn require written agreement from the owner about the conditions. It is the owners’ responsibility to read these requirements and make application that includes the required items. Owners are reminded that the V&E Greenline is private property. The owner is responsible for all deviations from the accepted plan, including work by their contractor, themselves, or their friends.

Application: The owner must make application in sufficient time so it can be considered at the meeting of the committee on the third Tuesday of the month. The application should include details on the construction schedule, any physical changes that might take place on the Greenline, the impact on trees and drainage, if the work is on the V&E Greenline or the owner’s property, or any other relevant information. The owner should provide drawings and digital pictures should be included to show the work area, existing conditions, and any changes being proposed by the owner.

Changes in the Property: The application should describe any changes in trees, tree seedlings, or shrubs. If these items are removed and this was not included in the proposal, the owner will be responsible for replacing the same caliper of these items—or paying the estimated value of a mature item that cannot be replaced. Drainage pipes that flow into the Greenline are not allowed. Tree trunks, cement pieces, and other debris are not to be left on the Greenline by the owner and contractor. Fences are to be constructed on the owner’s property and new fence construction will not be allowed on V&E Greenline property.

Remediation: The application should include specific plans for remediation. Where remediation is necessary, a separate written contract will be required to assure compliance with the plan. In some cases, a sufficient deposit may have to be filed and would be applied to any damage to the Greenline. If remediation does not take place within two months of the start of construction, then the committee will perform the mitigation and charge the owner. If the V&E Greenline Committee must remediation any violations of the written agreement, the owner would be responsible for any actual costs incurred by the committee, a charge of $50 for each volunteer hour spent in both planning and actual work, and market charges for any volunteer equipment and its operators. If the V&E Greenline tractor is used, the cost would be $50 for the tractor charge.

Access: The application should state whether the owner can perform the work by access from the owner’s property so as to minimize disturbance of the V&E Greenline property. A fee can be charged for the inconvenience caused by the construction.

Legal Notice: This policy was enacted on October 18, 2006. This document will be placed on the V&E Greenline website.

The following notice will be placed in the V&E News at the soonest time after this policy was enacted.

“The V&E Greenline requires that owners performing construction (including tree and vegetation removal, fencing, and bank stabilization) that involves entering or altering V&E Greenline property must receive written approval from the V&E Greenline Committee.”

The V&E Greenline is secured by bollards (posts) at several points. Middle bollards can be removed by the police and fire department to gain access to the V&E Greenline.

Trash and debris: Adjacent owners and their contractors who enter the Greenline to do maintenance work on fences or property are expected to promptly clean up and remove all debris. Yard debris and wood can be hauled to the nearest curb and will be picked up by the city. Building trash and loose construction debris must be hauled away. Owners should make their contractors aware of this responsibility ahead of time, mention it in the contract, and insist that clean-up be completed as part of the job.

Cutting down trees: One of the main missions of the Greenline is urban reforestation and wildlife habitat. Tree preservation has become especially urgent in the face of recent natural disasters that have cost us many trees. Owners are not allowed to cut trees on the Greenline without prior approval. If anyone wishes to cut down a tree, please contact the Greenline Committee in person or in writing to obtain permission. Owners who need to cut down a tree on Greenline property should present their reasons, and a plan for planting at least two new tree in a better location, so there will be a net gain in trees rather than a loss.

Volunteering and Contributing: The adjacent owners benefit from the enhanced V&E Greenline (see the History section of this website). The Greenline increases their property values and provides them with a ready source of recreation.  All users, neighbors, and adjacent owners are encouraged to volunteer their time at "Spruce Up the Greenline" events and to make financial contributions for the upkeep of the V&E Greenline.