Purchasing a home is the greatest investment that an individual will take on — it requires investing hundred of thousands of hard-earned dollars and in most cases it will take 25 years to pay off the mortgage.
I believe that during this time it should be the goal of the homeowner to maintain, and improve the house in order to gain a profit if/when selling.
With this in mind, I find it unbelievable and appalling that some homeowners are totally oblivious and couldn’t care less how their lack of front-yard maintenance, curb appeal and general looks negatively effects the market value of their house and to the detriment of the same to other homeowners that day after day spend money to keep their own yards in an acceptable and many times superior look. This is disturbing.
My street is an example of this. The majority of homeowners are super in keeping their own yards looking great. Regrettably, there are a few home owners who do not recognize their responsibilities in maintaining their properties.
The RDN has no bylaws regarding overgrown weeds and tall grass. You are left on your own to argue, to dispute, to get mad, to get frustrated with the neighbour that has no respect or willingness or desire to keep to society’s expectations, in other words, keep it maintained. Why should the majority of us that keep it clean, remove weeds and cut the grass, spend dollars and end up at the negative end of a few homeowners that do not care.
Why the RDN has no bylaws puzzles me. They have for just about anything else. When I called, no one can help — indeed we are left on own. Perhaps it’s time to change, time to introduce a bylaw to have weeds and tall grass kept under control. It is not much to ask.
Jeanpaul BrascaParksville
