Drayton Valley town council passed first reading of an assortment of amendments to its Community Standards Bylaw on Wednesday.
The bylaw was last updated in 2022, and since then, administration says community needs have changed and new concerns have emerged.
One amendment would remove the ability to appeal an order issued by a peace officer for 10 offences, such as overgrown grass and snow or ice on sidewalks that haven’t been cleared.
Currently, after an order is issued, at least 14 days need to pass before a 14-day appeal process can begin; this process can take an additional week for issues ordered to out-of-province or out-of-country citizens. The town says this timeline “drastically” reduces its ability to efficiently and effectively respond to public concerns that could impede safety.
If passed, the amendment would require enforcement services to give 24-hours notice for non-compliance, and if compliance isn’t met within that timeframe, the town can proceed with contracting work to address the issue. An invoice for the work will be issued to the property owner, and if it goes unpaid, it will be added to their tax roll.
Another proposed amendment would shorten the timeline allotted to repair or remove a structure deemed unsafe or unfit for human habitation to 180 days, from two years.
Other proposed changes include:
- Introducing an offence for scavenging and dumpster diving in residential or commercial waste or recycling containers.
- Introducing an offence for falsely advertising to be a member of the Trespassing Agent Program.
- Removing requirements for cutting grass and vegetation on Residential-Acreage zone properties, if they’re actively being used for agricultural purposes.
- Rescinding the Curfew Bylaw, Smoking Bylaw and Cannabis-Free Public Spaces Bylaw.
The bylaws proposed to be rescinded are no longer needed, administration explained. Enforcement services reportedly utilize provincial legislation for public use offences relating to tobacco and cannabis, making the local bylaws redundant. The Curfew Bylaw has not been enforced in recent years, and other municipalities have faced constitutional legal challenges regarding similar policies.
Comments