By Lyonel Doherty
In favour of enhancing relations among neighbours, the Town of Oliver is amending its Good Neighbour Bylaw pertaining to unsightly premises.
Council is shortening the compliance time for unsightly remediation to five days for owners that reside within the Town, and 10 days (corrected from 14) for those who reside outside the Town.
A section has also been added to indicate that properties that become unsightly again within 15 days of compliance will be deemed to have remained unsightly, therefore, a notice will be sent again.
If upon inspection the properties are not in compliance, a ticket will be issued.
Under the bylaw, the following directions can be imposed: remove unsightly materials or rubbish; remove snow, ice or rubbish from sidewalks; clean, stack or cover material; clear property of brush, trees or other growth from adjacent boulevards or laneways; cut grass or weeds, prune trees or shrubs; obtain a vacant building registration permit; maintain and secure a building.
Corporate Officer Diane Vaykovich reminds homeowners to address their weeds, debris and rubbish.
“You can have an accumulation of material, but there has to be some order to it,” she said.
Concerns start to arise when a property looks run down, empty or abandoned, or if there are more than two derelict vehicles sitting around.
