The City of Airdrie held an open house about the development of a new Community Standards Bylaw, May 10 at City Hall.
About 50 vocal residents came to the event to ask questions and state their concerns with the proposed legislation.
“I have a number of concerns but one of them is snow clearing,” said Michelle Gambel, who lives in Coopers Crossing.
“I am worried about the safety of my own children and the children in my day home. Sometimes they have to walk on the road to get around the snow on people’s sidewalks and the elderly in the area cannot get through with their wheelchairs.”
Peace officer Maury Karch said the bylaw could help with many issues including snow clearing as it would shorten the timeframe of when snow must be cleared from sidewalks after a snowfall to 24 hours from 48.
“These are issues we deal with on a seasonal basis,” he said.
“Having this broader Community Standards Bylaw instead of multiple other bylaws relating to the same thing will help us do our job. It will help with snow removal, speed up unsightly premises problems and update many old, out-of-date bylaws.”
The new bylaw will establish and enforce minimum standards in the maintenance, appearance and upkeep of property in the city; replace a noise bylaw from 1980 and update rules relating to parking recreational vehicles.
“We are trying to make a bylaw that meets residents’ needs,” said Darryl Poburan, manager of municipal enforcement, RCMP and building inspections. “We don’t want to rush into this. We want to get residents’ feedback, which we are doing here tonight and we will do again in a public hearing when the bylaw comes before council, hopefully within the next few months.”
Poburan said the intent of the bylaw is not to “nail people,” but to work with them and make sure the problems are being addressed.
“The peace officers will use discretion and give some warnings instead of fines,” he said.
“Last year, we gave out 15,000 warnings and we plan to continue to do that in situations that warrant it.”
Poburan said Community Standards bylaws are becoming more common in Alberta with many municipalities adopting similar legislation. The new Community Standards Bylaw addresses such issues as:
• untidy and unsightly conditions on private property
• outdoor storage on non-residential and residential property
• exterior maintenance of buildings and fences
• clearing of public sidewalks after snowfall
• paving of frontyard parking pads
• non-residential and residential waste disposal (including sites under construction)
• open excavations and ponding water
• noise control
• recreational vehicle parking on public roadways and private property
Ken Vickets, a resident of Coopers Crossing, said he is most concerned about the regulations regarding RV parking and doesn’t think the new bylaw goes far enough.
“I would like to see the RV bylaw brought in accordance with Calgary where people are not allowed to park RVs in neighbourhoods at all,” he said.
“It is about beautification and safety. Having a large RV in your yard is like putting up a wall. It kills your sense of community because you can’t see your neighbours.”
The proposed bylaws states the recreational vehicles must be moved off the street after 36 hours. From Oct. 31 to April 31, RVs can’t be parked in a front driveway unless loading or unloading.
Gambel agrees with Vickets, saying she has an RV and she pays to have it stored in a yard.
“I feel I made a huge financial purchase and then I have to look at other people’s stuff just left out on the street,” she said. “It is unsafe because sometimes they overhang onto the sidewalk and it degrades the value of my home. I believe that you have to be the change you want to see. I abide by the laws and do everything I can to be a good citizen of Airdrie and set a good example and it is very disheartening that my neighbours do not have the same respect.
“I think these changes to the bylaw are good change.”
For more information on the Community Standards Bylaw, visit www.airdrie.ca
