By paNOW

Keep yards clear, or face the consequences

Jun 22, 2017 | 11:33 AM

With summer officially underway, Prince Albert are reminded to keep their yards clean or face a visit from the city’s bylaw.

Last year, city council updated the property amenities bylaw as a means to keep neighbourhoods looking aesthetically pleasing. An infringement of the bylaw can be broad. It can be as simple as an overgrown lawn with too many weeds, to junked vehicles on the property.

So far, there have been 215 calls to bylaw enforcement.

Suzanne Stubbs, bylaw manager with the city’s police service, called the amount of calls this year fairly normal. She said two of the most common calls are overgrown grass and dilapidated vehicles. The bylaw also includes the outside of the house as well.

“If you have broken windows or the house is in a dilapidated state on the outside, we use the property amenities bylaw on that,” she said. “We have a very high percentage of people who comply. It’s very good.”

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For those wondering, the city considers overgrown to be more than 20 centimeters high. An untidy or unsightly property means motor vehicles like ATVs, motorcycles, snowmobiles, trailers and campers of any type on the front lawn.

Properties are also in violation if there’s any graffiti on any building, accessories, fence or other structures owned by the property owner. Stubbs mentioned the city has a graffiti program where residents can apply for paint and brushes.

The bylaw also applies to dilapidated buildings or property left unoccupied. Violators of the bylaw will be given a written notice but if nothing is done, the city will take whatever action is necessary. The property owner will then get a bill for the city’s troubles.

Property owners can also be fined up to $500 for a first offence, while repeat offences could face as much as $10,000.

Stubbs added the infractions are for junk so properties filled with children’s toys won’t be in violation, unless it was in excess.

“If it is just toys then I would say no. But if I get a phone call from a neighbour complaining about someone’s yard, we would have to go take a look,” she said.

Jeff.labine@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @labinereporter