There’s no doubt that bylaw enforcement in Halifax is arbitrary, causes unneeded hassle and embarrassment for homeowners and is very possibly corrupt, in that the anonymous complaint process can lead to painting companies trolling for business by reporting properties.
But more than that, the process evidently doesn’t work. Here’s a picture of Mitchell’s Environmental Treasures at 2183 Gottingen Street:
The property has been the target of bylaw enforcement for at least five years; the roof collapsed several years ago, and neighbours complain that it is a breeding ground for rats. And yet, here the building sits, a blight on the north end.
I suggest that the entire bylaw enforcement process be suspended until this one building is properly addressed. Until the city can fix this property, it has no business telling anyone to scrape off some flaking paint.
This article appears in Oct 22-28, 2009.
My mother, who lives on a fixed income in the Timberlea, had one of these by-law enforcement jokers harass her. Her garage, which had been recently vandalized by a group of kids (that being damaged and painted with local “gang” graffiti), a local denizen had informed the HRM office the next day and the by-law officer was at the house a day later, where she was handed a letter that required her to repair and paint the garage within two months. Given that she can barely afford the mortgage and feed herself due to rapidly increasing property values and the archaic property tax evaluations, had to follow this, lest she face legal action. It’s slowly becoming a tool for upper middle class yuppies who are more concerned about their property values than the actual safety of residents. Notwithstanding the fact that I feel if there was proper police coverage in the area instead of a thinly spread RCMP force (A community office, not an actual detachment, located in Beechville has to serve the BLT area and parts of Prospect Road, when the Prosepct area RCMP are too busy, which is all the time), but I feel I’m editorializing, and it’s a completely different topic. Where’s the same level of expediency on this property?
I’m certainly with you on this one, Tim, especially on the potential corruption issue. Who’s the joker responsible for this program?
thats becoming very common dr.f cause its so easy but the store full of treasures?!? c’mon something does smell and its not just the rat shit
Totally corrupt and lazy.
I put my green bin out one day early, and returned to find a warning sticker on it.
The offense was “Garbage or refuse left at the curb”.
I called the brave enforcer of the law, and told him it was a Green Bin. He said “That’s considered refuse.”
“Is it illegal” I asked “for me to pick up refuse?”
“No”
“So I can take all the Green Bins I want.”
“Now you’re just being foolish”
And years ago, I called about all those stupid “I BUY HOMES” signs and stickers. They won’t let me file a complaint, because I didn’t have a civic address for one of the signs.
Looks like my kind of store. What kind of “environmental treasures” is Mitch selling anyways? Shrooms? Mescaline?
If we had a Mayor with leadership capability he or she would be riding the damn bulldozer the day this horrible building was taken down.
By-law Enforcement can and should be ignored, until they enforce the order to condom this building.
And by condom, I mean condem… I swear that was not a freudian slip, though Tim and Andy, I do give you permission to make fun of me about it. 😉
I see people reported for filling in lakes to acquire more land etc without approval. Some fill in rivers for their own needs. I see these same people reported to the city and nothing is done. These contractors have ties with city politicians and can be found at family BBQs, even though they claim no ties and state they are impartial. Nothing is done to force these type of vilolating people to comply with the laws when they break the rules after they are reported for doing so. Now if the common man did the same thing the city is over them like a water fall. No wonder people don’t bother to vote anymore as many are cut from the same mold.
My problem is when one by-law officer is capable of making a non-quantifiable statement and we as property owners and taxpayers have no recourse to refute what is stated. My neighbour was being harassed by her neighbour on the other side because her dogs peed and pooped in the same area of her lawn and that other neighbour didn’t like that she could see the defecation. A complaint was filed and the bylaw officer said he could “smell” an odour from the street and told her she had to stop letting the dogs use her own yard as a litter box and that she had to remedy the smell. When I was told what was said, I went to the foot of her driveway and I could smell nothing. There was a slight smell when standing right next to the area, but nothing that would irritate any neighbour on either side. Yet, how do you refute what the officer stated? He acted like he was god and his word was law.
I was told only 2 cars allowed in my driveway at a time I live in Timberlea