The Town of Ladysmith is taking action regarding a home on Dogwood Drive where household items on the front lawn have led to anger and speculation on social media.
A hearing with the owner and the tenant of 317 Dogwood Dr. is scheduled for July 16.
Staff presented councillors with an information report at Monday’s council meeting clarifying their intention to seek an order to declare the property as “unsightly” and obtain a timeline for cleanup.
Bylaw compliance officers have been working with the property owner of the home since January of this year to “deal with property maintenance issues,” according to the report from director of development services Felicity Adams.
RCMP have also visited the home and issued several tickets to the tenant for property maintenance offences under Ladysmith’s property maintenance bylaw.
So far these actions haven’t resulted in changes to the upkeep of the home over the past six months.
The town’s definition of ‘unsightly’ means “an untidy or otherwise non-esthetic accumulation of filth, discarded materials, junk, or refuse on any real property,” according to the bylaw.
The hearing next month is a requirement before staff can come back to city council asking for an order requiring the home be brought into compliance with the town’s bylaw.
“Once an order is issued, if the property owner does not complete the required work, the town can arrange for a contractor to undertake the clean-up which ultimately will be charged to the property owner,” Adams said in the report.
