Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw Returns to Council
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Cumberland Village staff have dedicated time and effort to refine a Community Nuisance Abatement Bylaw that aims to provide the Village with tools to cope with the worst nuisance properties without burdening taxpayers with the cost of enforcement, and in a way that respects Cumberland’s unique and relaxed community character. Staff members are confident they’ve struck the right balance.
The proposed bylaw would take the place of the proposed Good Neighbour Bylaw, which was never enacted. The bylaw will be presented to Council on May 13, 2024 alongside a fresh Bylaw Compliance Policy that retains the progressive enforcement model with voluntary compliance as the first step. Enforcement of nuisance properties will occur on a complaint basis and a property must garner complaints from multiple sources within a defined time period before the Village takes any action. Efforts for voluntary compliance by the Village must be exhausted before enforcement action is taken. Then the bylaw would allow Village staff to impose service fees to the property owner for any further service calls within a twelve-month period, relieving taxpayers of undue burdens and placing responsibility squarely on nuisance property owners.
The proposed Bylaw Compliance Policy is grounded in trauma-informed principles and prioritizes respect, inclusion, collaboration, and leadership, fostering effective community engagement and communication. The new policy and bylaw empowers residents to report nuisance properties, offer guidelines for staff, and respects the essence of Cumberland’s character.
If Council gives the Bylaw first and second reading, it would return to a future Council meeting for final consideration. You can read the staff report and the proposed bylaw and policy in the May 13, 2024 Council meeting agenda that will be published on Friday at https://cumberland.ca/meetings/.
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