Now that the snow is gone, the Town of Olds is reminding residents of a few housekeeping items to keep the community looking sharp all summer long.
To start, officials say keeping it clean does not have to be a headache. Director of Protective Services for the Town of Olds Justin Andrew says simply being a good neighbour by keeping your yard trimmed and garbage-free is oftentimes all you need to do.
“There’s a general sense of what could be considered unsightly- garbage or clutter in a yard that’s unkept, grass, trees, or shrubs that are untrimmed, protruding out onto the sidewalk,” he says. “Be a good neighbour is ultimately what the intent is.”
Andrew maintains that no matter what your yard looks like, part of being a good neighbour is being reasonable, and with so many residents planning summertime projects- patience is important.
“Everybody might be guilty every now and again from not mowing grass every single week or if you’re in a project and you’ve got some things out- those are just having the ability to be patient with your neighbours,” he says. “If it becomes long standing and they just won’t take action then certainly, that’s considered unsightly.”
The Town of Olds’ municipal bylaw surrounding the care of properties does include a fine schedule for property owners who are found to be in contravention of the bylaw, which ranges based on first, second, and third offences; however, Andrew assures there is always a process to determine any follow-up action.
“There’s always an engagement process first where we will reach out to the person that the concern is raised against and indicate that there is a concern, and if we feel that it’s valid then we’re going to ask for compliance,” he says.
If a property is found to be in contravention of the bylaw, the Town will first issue a notice of remedy, giving the owner a period of time to resolve the issue, which “typically” carries no fine. Officials say if voluntary compliance continues to go unmet, a fine could be issued as a result.
