The City of Williams Lake has approved a recommendation calling on stiffer fees for property owners found in violation of the Good Neighbour Bylaw-Repeat Nuisance Service Calls .
Councillor Scott Nelson, made the recommendation which passed unanimously last night to increase the fine following any further nuisance service calls after a warning letter to $1,000 dollars, with the 2nd offence at $5,000, and 3rd at $10,000.
“I think that individuals have to make sure that they’re held accountable.”
“Frankly at the end of the day we’re going to be looking at chasing these guys around, but we’re going to make sure we know where they are and more importantly that other people in the community don’t rent to these individuals.”
“They’re just simply bad asses and they create nothing but havoc in Williams Lake.”
Senior Bylaw Officer Brendan Foote, says recent discussions with the Williams Lake RCMP have expressed that greater consistency and urgency in the enforcement of the bylaw could significantly increase the efficacy of their enforcement actions as well as free up members to deal with other important duties.
“Currently it’s set-up that so that when the RCMP respond to these nuisance properties there’s a fee attached after the 3rd one (call).”
“It’s for $250.00”
“With meetings with RCMP, members felt that this fee isn’t enough to be making an impact to help deal with the issue.”
Foote says there are about 6 to 10 properties that the City is currently having continuous issues with.
The City of Williams Lake has asked to staff to look at and report on how the City could enact the fines on tenants as well.
A nuisance service call is defined by the City follows:
“means a City or police response to an abatement of any nuisance or other
activity, conduct or condition occurring on or near real property which substantially and unreasonably
interferes with another person’s use and enjoyment of a public place or of real property occupied by that
person, or which causes injury to the health, comfort or convenience of an occupier of real
property and which is caused by or arises from a person’s failure to comply with the requirements of this
Bylaw.”
You can fully view the Good Neighbour Bylaw and any further relating information here.