District orders to clean up properties

A property owner in Bear Lake has been ordered to clean up abandoned vehicles and trash that has littered their property.

The two undeveloped lots located on Polar Street, near the intersection with Koala Place, became a dumping ground for abandoned cars, a damaged boat and other trash, according to a report presented to the Regional District of Fraser-Fort George board.

“We would also consider the vehicles to be a danger, if kids started to climb about,” Blaine Harasimiuk, district manager of building inspection and sustainability practices, told the board. “We’re asking for a deadline of Aug. 31 to clean it up.”

District bylaw enforcement officer Michael Tillman said the district first received a complaint about the properties in October 2019.

“(At) that time, there were eight vehicles, most of which were damaged, and some miscellaneous litter,” Tillman wrote.

“A series of warning letters were issued.

There was no response to the first two but, after the third letter was issued by the regional district’s lawyer, the number of items on the lots were reduced so that there is currently one badly damaged vehicle, one damaged boat and some miscellaneous litter.”

On March 23, 2020, Tillman said a bylaw officer hand-delivered a letter to the landowner from the district’s lawyer, giving the landowner until May 30 to clean up the property.

“At that time, the landowner informed the bylaw enforcement officer he had also received the earlier two letters,” Tillman wrote. “The landowner also protested that the items had been dumped on his land without permission by someone, but the bylaw enforcement officer advised that he was still legally responsible for their removal regardless.”

Harasimiuk said the remaining car and boat were highly visible from the road and in very poor condition. Normally, the regional district allows property owners to store up to four unroadworthy vehicles on a property, but can make exceptions if the conditions are especially unsightly.

The regional district board passed a motion giving the landowner until Aug. 31 to clean up the remaining mess or the district would enter the property and do the cleanup itself. The cost of the cleanup was estimated at $1,000 to $1,500 and would be billed to the landowner.

“I’m in favour of this,” director Kyle Sampson said. “I have little to no tolerance for those who keep their properties an unsightly mess.”

Director Pat Crook, who represents the electoral area including Bear Lake, said the Bear Lake Community Commission had also tried to get the property owner to clean up the site.

“It is a hazard for kids, because they are playing there and breaking things,” Crook said.

The owner of a home destroyed by fire on Buckhorn Lake Road was given another month to clean up the site on Thursday.

A fire destroyed the home at 5960 Buckhorn Lake Rd, just south of Prince George, in October. Last month, the regional district board ordered the owner to clean up the site, including an open foundation and damaged outbuildings, by the end of this month.

There was a long history of complaints about unsightly conditions on the property prior to it burning down, including complaints in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2015 and in July last year, only months before it burned down.

Earlier this month, the owner wrote to the board asking for an extension of the deadline because the COVID-19 pandemic had delayed efforts to complete the clean up. Harasimiuk said the owner had made efforts to clean up the site and make it more secure.

“I went and had a look out there. It seems the owner is making an effort to clean up and fill in the cavity in the ground,” director Bill Empey said.

“I’d like to see it done and completed, but I think we can be lenient because (they are) making an effort to clean it up.”

The board extended the deadline for the owner to clean the site up until Aug. 31.