By Simone Rolph - Hope Standard - May 15, 2008
What started out as an apparent housekeeping item – an attempt to more clearly define the district’s noise, litter and unsightly premises policies and their enforcement – ended councillors calling for further discussion. The new bylaw presented to Hope council by district staff, Monday night, is designated as a “Good Neighbour Bylaw,” and according to staff is more user-friendly for the public and a better bylaw enforcement tool for staff. The newly proposed bylaw covers everything from littering, to cleaning up after your dog, from noise pollution to graffiti. According to Director of Corporate Services, Karla Lanktree, the bylaw is based on positive community cooperation and has been successfully implemented in many larger communities. The new bylaw allows the district to cut red tape and repeal three separate bylaws including the property maintenance bylaw, the noise regulation bylaw, as well an amending bylaw, and the Unsightly Premises and Unwholesome Matter bylaw.
But the new consolidation bylaw also adds a few new rules and regulations in an apparent cost saving move. Impacting the homeowner will be new rules setting out the responsibility of the owner or resident of any property within the district to remove the snow, ice and rubbish from every sidewalk or footpath that borders on their property within 24 hours of a snowfall or freezing temperatures. Currently only businesses are required to remove snow and ice from sidewalks. Homeowners will also be required to ensure that boulevards and any lane bordering their property is kept clear of weeds, rubbish and hazardous objects to the centerline of the lane. The rules governing rental properties and vacant properties are also clearly defined in the bylaw.
The bylaw also sets out new rules on the unnecessary and repetitive use of district bylaw enforcement and police officers. The proposed ‘Good Neighbour Bylaw’ states that a property owner can face a fee, to be charged by the district, if police or bylaw officials respond to two nuisance calls for service within a twenty-four hour period or more than three nuisance calls for service within a twelve-month period. Fines and fees have yet to be set out. Hope Council, however, called for further discussion of the bylaw.
“I don’t think it is appropriate for people to be responsible for property they do not own,” noted Councilor Donna Pleadwell, citing the section of the new bylaw that sets out the rules for residents to maintain district-owned sidewalks, lanes and boulevards.“It will be a hardship for people in undeveloped areas where there are acres in front of (some properties),” added Councillor Randy Bergstrom. And a lot of complaints brought to the district are based on poor feelings between neigbours, – the old “I will get you - sort of thing,” noted Mayor Wilfried Vicktor, expressing concern over the district’s complaints-based enforcement of the bylaw. All complaints over bylaw enforcement are considered for “validity” before staff decide to enforce or not to enforce a bylaw, noted Chief Administrative Officer, Brian Woodward. “We attend to those complaints… but we do not get involved in those (kinds of) disputes,” added the CAO, reminding council that the changes are not new features and were discussed during the recent budgeting process.
According to Lanktree, who heads up bylaw enforcement, the goal of bylaw officials will remain to strive for voluntary compliance. The bylaw will return to council for consideration at the Tuesday, (May 20) Committee of the Whole meeting
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