Council standardizes enforcement fees for snow, ice, grass, weeds

By Rob Vogt
Claresholm town council has begun the process of making consistent all the fees for the enforcement of snow, ice, grass and weed removal.
At its Aug. 12 meeting, council was advised by Chief Administrative Officer Abe Tinney the unsightly premises and property standards bylaw governs grass and weed control, while the traffic and highways bylaw governs snow and ice removal.
Currently, the two bylaws have different administrative fees.
Tinney explained administration is proposing to align the two bylaws with the same fee structure.
The proposed amendment would remove from the unsightly premises and property standards the definition, “administration fee” meaning a fee added to actual expenses incurred by the town for measures taken pursuant to this bylaw equal to the greater of $25 or 15 per cent of actual expenses incurred by the town.
Added would be the definition “administration fee” meaning a fee added to actual expenses incurred by the town for measures taken pursuant to this bylaw to remedy any contravention contained within this bylaw. Administration fees can be transferred to tax roll. Administration fees shall be enacted as follows:
i) First offence: the fee is equal to the greater of $40 or 15 per cent of the actual expenses incurred by the town;
ii) Second offence, including subsequent and ongoing enforcement: the fee is equal to the greater of $120 or 20 per cent of actual expenses incurred by the town.
It was noted the second offence provision currently exists in the traffic and highways bylaw and administration recommended adding it to the updated unsightly premises bylaw to act as a deterrent for repeat offenders.
Under enforcement, the section outlining a statement the town may carry out the required remedial action at the owner’s expense if the required work is not completed within the allowed time, would be removed.
It would be replaced with a section outlining a statement that if the required work is not completed within the allowed time the town may carry out the required remedial action at the owner’s expense plus an administration fee. The subject costs and expenses, if unpaid by the owner upon demand, shall be added to the tax roll of the subject property in accordance with the Municipal Government Act.
Council then passed first reading of the updated bylaw, with second and third readings to be considered at a future council meeting.