---
title: Castlegar unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Castlegar?"
place: Castlegar, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/castlegar
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Castlegar
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Castlegar unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** Report an unsightly or overgrown property in Castlegar through the City's online Bylaw Violation Complaint form or to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-365-8963. Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449 lets the City order the owner to fix it within 30 days, and a ticket is $100.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Castlegar, https://www.castlegar.ca)  
**Cost:** $100 municipal ticket for a property maintenance violation (Municipal Ticketing Bylaw 1179).  
**How long:** Complaints may take up to 5 business days to get a response. A written order gives the owner 30 days.  
**Where:**
- Online: Bylaw Violation Complaint form, https://castlegar.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/report-a-bylaw-violation/
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-365-8963
- Email: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, bylaw@castlegar.ca

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let property become unsightly: filth, rubbish or graffiti; broken or rotting fences; dead or overgrown landscaping; grass or weeds over 30 cm; wrecked vehicles; stored old materials, appliances or building supplies in view; or run-down buildings (ss. 2, 6.1, 6.6).
  - Source: [Council agenda, March 23, 2026 (includes Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449), Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449, Part 2 and ss. 6.1, 6.6](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Regular-Agenda_March-23-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No Owner or Occupier of Real Property shall allow grass or weeds on their Real Property to exceed a height of 30 centimetres." … "c) landscaping that is dead or characterized by uncontrolled growth;"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Submit a Bylaw Violation Complaint online (name, email, phone, date, address and a description), or contact the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at bylaw@castlegar.ca or 250-365-8963. Reports are held in confidence; a response may take up to 5 business days.
  - Source: [Report a Bylaw Violation, City page: Report a Bylaw Violation](https://castlegar.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/report-a-bylaw-violation/)
  - Official wording: "you can submit a Bylaw Violation Complaint." … "bylaw@castlegar.ca or 250-365-8963" … "Information collected through our online form or through our Bylaw Enforcement Officer will be held in confidence"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** A written order (mailed, posted or delivered) gives the owner 30 days to fix it at their expense (s. 6.10). If not done, the City may do the work after the owner can be heard by Council, bill the owner, and add unpaid costs to property taxes (s. 6.11). Tickets may also be issued (s. 7.7).
  - Source: [Council agenda, March 23, 2026 (includes Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449), Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449, ss. 6.10-6.11](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Regular-Agenda_March-23-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Authorized Representative of the City may, by notice in writing sent by registered mail, posted on the property, or delivered in person, order the owner or occupier of real property, at their expense and within thirty (30) days of the mailing or posting of the Order, to:" … "treat the costs of doing so as unpaid property taxes owing"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $100 for 'Property Maintenance violations' (s. 6) and $100 for 'Nuisance Abatement violations' (s. 7); an 'Excessive Nuisance Abatement Fee' (s. 7.9) is $200.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticketing Bylaw 1179, consolidated to June 2026, Schedule B-5 (Good Neighbour Bylaw)](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Consolidated.Branded.Bylaw_.1179.Municipal-Ticketing-2.pdf)
  - Official wording: "6 Property Maintenance violations $100" … "7 Nuisance Abatement violations $100" … "7.9 Excessive Nuisance Abatement Fee $200"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 1449, 2026 (effective March 23, 2026). It replaced Property Maintenance Bylaw 1120.
  - Source: [Council Highlights, March 23, 2026](https://castlegar.ca/2026/04/01/council-highlights-march-23-2026/)
  - Official wording: "Council adopted Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 1449"
  - Source: [Council agenda, March 23, 2026 (includes Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449), Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449, title and Part 9](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Regular-Agenda_March-23-2026.pdf)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the “City of Castlegar Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449, 2026.”" … "Property Maintenance Bylaw 1120 and all amendments to are hereby repealed."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Under [Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Regular-Agenda_March-23-2026.pdf) (effective March 23, 2026, replacing Property Maintenance Bylaw 1120), owners and occupiers in the City of Castlegar must not let property become unsightly.

## Steps

1. Note the address and what you see.
2. Submit the online Bylaw Violation Complaint form, or email or call the Bylaw Enforcement Officer. Reports are held in confidence.
3. The City sends the owner a written order (mailed, posted or delivered) giving 30 days to fix it at their own expense.
4. If it is not done, the City may do the work after the owner can be heard by Council, bill the owner, and add unpaid costs to the property taxes. Tickets may also be issued.

## Good to know

- **Unsightly includes:** filth, rubbish or graffiti; broken or rotting fences; dead or overgrown landscaping; grass or weeds over 30 cm; wrecked vehicles; old materials, appliances or building supplies stored in view; and run-down buildings.
- Tickets under [Municipal Ticketing Bylaw 1179](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Consolidated.Branded.Bylaw_.1179.Municipal-Ticketing-2.pdf): $100 for property maintenance (section 6) and $100 for nuisance abatement (section 7). An excessive nuisance abatement fee is $200.

## Official forms and pages

- [Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449 (in the March 23, 2026 Council agenda) (PDF)](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Regular-Agenda_March-23-2026.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Castlegar bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/bylaw-fines.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/unsightly-property.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/unsightly-property.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/unsightly-property.md)
- [Rossland](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/rossland/unsightly-property.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/unsightly-property.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Council agenda, March 23, 2026 (includes Good Neighbour Bylaw 1449) (PDF)](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/Regular-Agenda_March-23-2026.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Council Highlights, March 23, 2026, City of Castlegar](https://castlegar.ca/2026/04/01/council-highlights-march-23-2026/) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Municipal Ticketing Bylaw 1179, consolidated to June 2026 (PDF)](https://castlegar.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/Consolidated.Branded.Bylaw_.1179.Municipal-Ticketing-2.pdf) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Report a Bylaw Violation, City of Castlegar](https://castlegar.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/report-a-bylaw-violation/) (read 2026-11-05)

_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 City of Castlegar. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/unsightly-property/_