Throughout its term, North Bay City Council has prioritized cleaning up derelict and rundown properties and, with its approval Tuesday, municipal by-law officers will be one step closer to having more enforcement options with tougher fines to hand out under a revamped by-law.
With Council's endorsement, a set fine schedule governing the City of North Bay's new clean yards by-law can then be submitted to the Ministry of the Attorney General for final approval.
In March, Council passed the Clean Yards By-law No. 2022-28 and repealed the Clean Yards By-law No. 2011-185. Revisions to the by-law include expanding the coverage area to all property within the City, not just residential. It is formally known as "a By-Law to Establish Standards Respecting Exterior Property Maintenance and Grass Control on Lands within the City of North Bay."
The repeal of the former by-law necessitates a new set fine schedule. The former by-law carried $65 fines for infractions such as failing to keep residential lands free of domestic waste, failing to keep trim grass and weeds, storing inoperative motor vehicles, and obstructing a by-law officer during an inspection.
See the updated and expanded offences from the new by-law with fines set at either $100 or $200 below:
- $200 Owner fail to keep property free of undesirable material Section 2.1.1 (expanded definition of "undesirable" now includes animal excrement and human waste, stagnant water, dead/damaged/decayed trees, indoor furniture)
- $100 Owner fail keep grass and weeds below 20 centimetres Section 2.2.2
- $100 Owner fail to store refuse or recyclable material in a suitable container Section 2.3.1
- $200 Owner permit compost to emit odours Section 2.3.2(a)
- $200 Owner keep motor vehicle on property that is inoperable or without valid registration Section 2.4.1
- $200 Owner store machinery, vehicle, boat, trailer or part thereof in unusable condition Section 2.4.2
- $200 Obstruct officer Section 5.2.1
According to the staff report, "the new set fine schedule will allow for fines to be issued to an offender without the requirement for a court appearance, which reduces costs and time for enforcement and the Provincial Offences Office."
Under the by-law, fines are due and payable upon written notification by by-law enforcement or upon issuance of an invoice by the City. If fees are not paid within 30 calendar days, that amount may be added to the tax roll and collected like property taxes. Property owners will also be billed for resources and services "where the City does work or causes work to be done such work shall be done at the expense of the owner," and these fees are also subject to the same collection schedule as above.
