Obligated to Clean and Improve Adjacent Areas, Offenders Will Be Fined - City Hall

This week, entrepreneurs are being notified about the mandatory improvement of adjacent public areas. The city hall reports that a decision adopted by the Yerevan council in 2009 mandates shop and café owners or lessees to clean sidewalks and surrounding areas of trash every day, improve, landscape the lawns, and also clear snow in the winter.

“Previously, out of 14,000 entrepreneurs, about 8,000 have been issued notifications. We are trying to remind entrepreneurs of their obligations. At this stage, we have eased the responsibilities. Each individual just needs to show public responsibility and ensure cleanliness in the area where they operate. Once this phase is completed, we will start the oversight process,” says Aram Danielyan, advisor to the Mayor of Yerevan.

Depending on the type of activity, the council’s decision describes in detail the boundaries of the areas subject to cleaning and improvement. For kiosks, retail trade points, public food, and entertainment venues, the area is defined as 5 meters from the perimeter occupied, up to the curb of the roadway outside the building. For non-residential areas located on the first, semi-basement, and basement floors of buildings, up to the moving part of the street from their occupied perimeter. For businesses occupying a larger area, it can be set up to 100 meters.

Businesses that ignore these rules will face fines. “Before the fine, there will be one more warning. If that is also ignored or unfulfilled, the city authorities will enforce the norms. If each of us makes a slight extra effort, we will create a more pleasant environment,” says Aram Danielyan.

The mandatory improvement norms apply not only to entrepreneurs but also to state and community institutions, including schools, kindergartens, and cultural centers. The decision also includes garages.

“In the near future, a framework will be developed for a unified improvement project. If entrepreneurs decide to improve, it will only be based on this project, so that if neighboring entrepreneurs also make the corresponding decision, we will have a unified approach,” notes Aram Danielyan.