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

# Clearwater unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Clearwater, report an unsightly property to the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-674-2257 or bylaw@docbc.ca, in writing or with the online form, giving your name, phone number and the address. Anonymous complaints are not investigated. The ticket is $250.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Clearwater, https://www.districtofclearwater.com)  
**Cost:** Ticket: $250 ($200 if paid within 30 days).  
**How long:** The officer sets a time to comply; the bylaw does not give a number of days.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Enforcement Officer, 250-674-2257 (Complaints must be in writing or on the online form, with your name and phone number. Email bylaw@docbc.ca.)

## Key facts

- **What counts:** No owner or occupier may allow water, rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter to collect; rubbish to overflow containers; the property to become or stay unsightly or a risk to public health and safety; dead landscaping, vegetation or noxious weeds to accumulate; or construction or demolition waste to pile up on a property with a building permit. Farm operations and orderly outdoor storage permitted by zoning are excluded.
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010, s. 3.1 and 3.2](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28401/)
  - Official wording: "allow the real property to become or remain unsightly, or a risk to public health and" … "the accumulation of dead landscaping, vegetation, noxious weeds or other growths" … "does not apply to farm operations conducted in accordance with" … "orderly outdoor storage of goods and"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to report:** Complaints must be made in writing or with the online form, with your name and phone number and the property address; anonymous complaints are not investigated. Bylaw Enforcement Officer: (250) 674-2257, bylaw@docbc.ca.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), Report a bylaw infraction](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/residents/municipal-ticketing-information-mti/)
  - Official wording: "If it relates to private property (noise, garbage, unsightly property, etc.) please provide the address."
  - Source: [Bylaws, Bylaw Enforcement](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/municipal-hall/bylaws/)
  - Official wording: "Bylaw Infraction Complaint Form" … "Email: bylaw@docbc.ca"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What happens next:** A Bylaw Compliance Officer may issue an order to comply within a time the officer considers appropriate. If the owner does not comply, the District may do the work and charge the owner's costs, including administration; unpaid costs after 30 days can be sued for or added to the property tax roll.
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010, s. 3.3, 3.7, 3.8](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28401/)
  - Official wording: "may issue an order requiring that the owner or other responsible" … "at the cost of the defaulting owner or other responsible person" … "direct that the amount of the cost be added to the real property tax roll"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $250 ($200 if paid within 30 days) for accumulations of water, rubbish or noxious matter, overflowing containers, failing to remedy an unsightly condition, dead vegetation or weeds, or construction waste.
  - Source: [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019, Schedule 3 (Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010)](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)
  - Official wording: "Failure to remedy unsightly or unsafe condition, as" … "Accumulation of vegetation, noxious weeds" … "250" … "200"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** District of Clearwater Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010, Citation](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28401/)
  - Official wording: "“District of Clearwater Good Neighbour Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The District's [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28401/>) says no owner or occupier may allow:

- water, rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter to collect;
- rubbish to overflow containers;
- the property to become or stay unsightly or a risk to public health and safety;
- dead landscaping, vegetation or noxious weeds to accumulate;
- construction or demolition waste to pile up on a property with a building permit.

Farm operations and orderly outdoor storage permitted by zoning are excluded.

## Steps

1. Complain in writing or with the online form, with your name and phone number and the property address.
2. Or contact the Bylaw Enforcement Officer at 250-674-2257, bylaw@docbc.ca.
3. A Bylaw Compliance Officer may order the owner to comply within a time the officer considers appropriate.

## Good to know

- If the owner does not comply, the District may do the work and charge the owner's costs, including administration. Unpaid costs after 30 days can be sued for or added to the property tax roll.
- Municipal ticket ([MTI Bylaw No. 221](<https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/>)): $250 ($200 if paid within 30 days).

## Official forms and pages

- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28401/)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/)

## Related questions

- [Clearwater noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/noise-rules.md)
- [Clearwater bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Clearwater backyard fire and burning rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/backyard-fire.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Barriere](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/barriere/unsightly-property.md)
- [Sun Peaks](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sun-peaks/unsightly-property.md)
- [Chase](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/chase/unsightly-property.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/unsightly-property.md)
- [Kamloops](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kamloops/unsightly-property.md)
- [Sicamous](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 56, 2010 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28401/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticket Information Bylaw No. 221, 2019 (PDF), District of Clearwater](https://districtofclearwater.civicweb.net/document/28332/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticketing Information (MTI), District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/residents/municipal-ticketing-information-mti/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaws, District of Clearwater](https://www.districtofclearwater.com/municipal-hall/bylaws/) (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 District of Clearwater. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/unsightly-property/_