---
title: Bowen Island unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Bowen Island?"
place: Bowen Island, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/bowen-island
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: Bowen Island Municipality
sources_read: 2026-11-08
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Bowen Island unsightly property rules and how to report

**Question:** How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Bowen Island?

**Short answer:** Bowen Island's Real Property Maintenance Bylaw requires owners to keep property from becoming unsightly or a risk to health and safety. To report a problem, call Bylaw Services at 604-947-4255 ext. 2 or email bylaw@bimbc.ca. The first bylaw notice is $100.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Bowen Island Municipality, https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice $100 first offence, $200 second, $500 further. Paid within 14 days: $75, $175 and $475.  
**How long:** No fixed time to comply is set in the bylaw.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Services, 604-947-4255 ext. 2 (Municipal offices: Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
- Email: Bylaw Services email, bylaw@bimbc.ca

## Key facts

- **What counts:** The owner or occupier must keep the property from being a risk to public health and safety, must keep it from becoming unsightly, and must not let rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter collect. Unsightly conditions include rubbish accumulations, more than one unlicensed vehicle not capable of operation (unless in an enclosed structure), auto parts, uncontained compost or manure piles, indoor furniture, bedding or appliances stored outside, dilapidated fences and graffiti.
  - Source: [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006, Bowen Island Municipality, ss. 2, 3](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/)
  - Official wording: "Maintain such real property in a manner that prevents it from becoming unsightly" … "Not permit rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter of any kind to collect or" … "More than one motor vehicle stored on the real property that are unlicensed and not" … "Uncontained compost or manure piles" … "Graffiti on fences, buildings or structures on the real property" … "(g) Furniture (other than furniture designed specifically for outdoor use), bedding or" … "appliances stored outside the premises;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to report:** Bylaw Services takes requests: phone 604-947-4255 ext 2 or email bylaw@bimbc.ca. Bylaw Services is 'request driven', so officers usually investigate in response to public requests.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw Services is “request driven”, meaning that Bylaw Officers will usually investigate issues only in response to requests from the public."
  - Source: [Parking Tickets and Violation Notices, Bowen Island Municipality, Questions?](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/parking-tickets-and-violation-notices/)
  - Official wording: "Please contact Bylaw Services by calling 604-947-4255 ext 2 or emailing bylaw@bimbc.ca"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What happens next:** An officer may order the owner or occupier to remove accumulated rubbish. If they do not, the municipality may enter and remove it at their expense, and unpaid charges on December 31 are added to the property taxes. A bylaw notice may be issued: pay or ask for adjudication within 14 days of receiving it. No fixed time to comply is set in the bylaw.
  - Source: [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006, Bowen Island Municipality, ss. 4, 5, 11](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/)
  - Official wording: "Upon order by any duly appointed officer of the Municipality" … "may enter and" … "effect such removal at the expense of the defaulting owner or occupier or agent" … "If the penalty indicated on the Violation Notice is not paid within thirty (30) days of the" … "issuance, a Summons may be issued"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026), Bowen Island Municipality, s. 6 Period for Paying or Disputing Notice](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/)
  - Official wording: "a) A person who receives a bylaw notice must, within 14 days of the date on which the" … "i) pay the penalty, or" … "ii) request dispute adjudication,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 first offence ($75 if paid early, $125 late); $200 second ($175 early, $225 late); $500 further ($475 early, $500 late). Failure to obey an order has the same amounts.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026), Bowen Island Municipality, Schedule AG](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/)
  - Official wording: "Failure to Maintain – unsightly – first" … "3b 100.00 75.00 125.00" … "Failure to obey order – further contraventions 500.00 475.00 500.00"
  - Source: [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006, Bowen Island Municipality, s. 11](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/)
  - Official wording: "$100.00 for each violation of this Bylaw." … "$75.00 for each violation if paid within fourteen (14) days"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Bowen Island Municipality Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006
  - Source: [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006, Bowen Island Municipality, s. 1](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/)
  - Official wording: "Bowen Island Municipality Real Property" … "Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/) says the owner or occupier must keep the property from being a risk to public health and safety, must keep it from becoming unsightly, and must not let rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter collect. Unsightly conditions include rubbish accumulations, more than one unlicensed vehicle not capable of operation (unless in an enclosed structure), auto parts, uncontained compost or manure piles, indoor furniture, bedding or appliances stored outside, dilapidated fences and graffiti. The list is not exhaustive, and some items are excused if not visible from a public highway or neighbouring property.

## Steps

1. Call Bylaw Services at 604-947-4255 ext. 2 or email bylaw@bimbc.ca with the address and what you see. Bylaw Services is "request driven", so officers usually investigate in response to public requests.
2. An officer may order the owner or occupier to remove accumulated rubbish.
3. If they do not, the Municipality may enter and remove it at their expense. Unpaid charges on December 31 are added to the property taxes.

## Good to know

- Bylaw notice: $100 first offence, $200 second, $500 further. Failure to obey an order carries the same amounts.
- A notice can be paid or disputed within 14 days of receiving it.
- The bylaw also allows a fine of up to $1,000 on summary conviction (court).
- The bylaw sets no fixed time to comply. Most issues are resolved through voluntary compliance.

## Official forms and pages

- [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006 (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/)

## Related questions

- [Bowen Island bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Bowen Island noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/noise-rules.md)
- [Bowen Island fireworks rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/fireworks.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/unsightly-property.md)
- [Gibsons](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/unsightly-property.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/unsightly-property.md)
- [District of North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver-district/unsightly-property.md)
- [North Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/north-vancouver/unsightly-property.md)
- [Richmond](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/richmond/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Real Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 174, 2006 (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/44606/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 196, 2008 (consolidated March 2026) (PDF), Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenisland.civicweb.net/document/339717/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Parking Tickets and Violation Notices, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/parking-tickets-and-violation-notices/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Bowen Island Municipality](https://bowenislandmunicipality.ca/contact/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Bowen Island Municipality. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/unsightly-property/_