NIPAWIN — The Town of Nipawin has finished collecting proposals for cleanup of private properties who had previously been neglected an “order to remedy” in violation of the town’s property maintenance and nuisance abatement bylaw.
As per the bylaw, all buildings, accessory buildings, land and structures must be maintained in accordance with minimum standards including disposing of garbage and refuse as well as keeping the property free from other debris which might constitute fire, health or safety hazards.
Barry Elliott, Nipawin’s administrator, said the contractor would be used for at least a year, but could be longer.
“Our bylaw enforcement officer has been very busy dealing with properties that are just unsightly and in some cases some of the stuff in there could be even detrimental to people on the property,” Elliott said. “We’re just trying to make it safe and clean and adhere to the bylaws.”
The town investigates a violation of the bylaw for a specific property. If the property owner fails to comply with requests for compliance as outlined in writing, the town issues an “order to remedy” pursuant to the Bylaw and the Municipalities Act.
If there is noncompliance with the order, the property owner is advised of the date of the property cleanup which will be undertaken by the vendor awarded the request for proposal.
The bylaw officer attends to the property to be cleaned with the contractor and is present during the entire time of the clean-up. Items removed from the property are categorized as either refuse (to be taken to the landfill by the vendor) or of value. Items removed from the property that are deemed by the bylaw officer to have value, are photographed, documented and moved to storage at a location deemed by the town to be suitable.
The contractor will be responsible for the next year for the removal of appliances, barrels, cans, cardboard, dilapidated buildings (outbuildings including garages and sheds), dismantled machinery, fencing, garbage, junked vehicles, paper, refuse, rubbish, scrap metal, scrap wood, sheds, tires, vehicle parts or other waste materials, graffiti cover-up or removal, sharp or dangerous materials, cutting grass and cutting down or trimming trees, minor carpentry, and other items that may be deemed as untidy or unsightly.
The collection of proposals was completed by the town on Feb. 3.
