---
title: Coldstream unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Coldstream?"
place: Coldstream, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/coldstream
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: District of Coldstream
sources_read: 2026-11-06
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Coldstream unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Coldstream, report an unsightly property to the Bylaw Compliance Officer at 250-550-1503 or bylaw@coldstream.ca. The Unsightly Premises Bylaw bans rubbish, wrecked vehicles, brush and noxious weeds. A bylaw notice is $100; a municipal ticket is $50.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (District of Coldstream, https://www.coldstream.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice $100 ($50 if paid early, $150 late). Municipal ticket $50. On conviction in court $100 to $2,000 plus costs.  
**How long:** Bylaw Compliance responds within 10 business days. The bylaw sets no time to comply.  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Compliance Officer, 250-550-1503 (Regular office hours)
- Email: Bylaw Compliance, bylaw@coldstream.ca
- Online: District contact form, https://www.coldstream.ca/contact

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let water, rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter collect around their premises, or let the property become or remain unsightly. 'Unsightly' includes filth, discarded or disused materials, garbage, dismantled trailers, boats, machinery, brush, and wrecked vehicles. They must keep property clear of brush, trees and noxious weeds, control caterpillars and insects, and remove graffiti. Exterior lights must not disturb neighbours.
  - Source: [District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993, s. 2, s. 3, s. 4](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/)
  - Official wording: "No owner or occupier of real property shall allow such property to become or to remain" … "Unsightly includes, but is not limited to, filth, discarded or disused materials or rubbish, any and all" … "manner of garbage; noxious, offensive or unwholesome matters; unused or dismantled" … "shall keep their property clear of brush, trees, noxious weeds or other growths." … "No person shall place graffiti on walls, fences, or elsewhere on or adjacent to a public place."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Contact the Bylaw Compliance Officer at 250-550-1503 or bylaw@coldstream.ca, or use the District's online contact form. Service is during regular office hours, with a response within 10 business days.
  - Source: [Bylaw Compliance](https://www.coldstream.ca/contact-us/contact-directory/bylaw-compliance)
  - Official wording: "Cory Bashuk, Bylaw Compliance Officer 250-550-1503 Email bylaw@coldstream.ca" … "Bylaw Compliance services are provided during regular office hours and will be responded to within 10 business days."
  - Source: [Contact Us, Contact the District](https://www.coldstream.ca/contact)
  - Official wording: "Please describe your specific inquiry or request and any additional information that will help us respond to you as quickly as possible."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** If the owner or occupier does not remove the accumulation, graffiti, brush or insects, the District may enter and do the work at the owner's expense. A charge unpaid on December 31 is added to the property taxes as taxes in arrears. Inspectors may enter property at reasonable times to check compliance.
  - Source: [District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993, s. 5, s. 6](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/)
  - Official wording: "the municipality, by" … "its employees or others, may enter and effect the removal at the expense of the owner" … "or occupier defaulting, and the charge for doing so, if unpaid on December 31st in any" … "Every Inspector is hereby authorized to enter upon any lands and premises in the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $100 ($50 if paid early; $150 late). Municipal ticket: $50. On conviction in court: $100 to $2,000 plus costs.
  - Source: [District of Coldstream Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1636, 2013, Appendix 9](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/11456/)
  - Official wording: "3.(3) Property become or remain unsightly $100 $50 $150 Yes"
  - Source: [District of Coldstream Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1598, 2012, Schedule 10](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/2314/)
  - Official wording: "3. Property become or remain unsightly 3.(3) $50.00"
  - Source: [District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993, s. 7](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/)
  - Official wording: "to a fine not less than one hundred dollars ($100), and not more than two"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993
  - Source: [District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993, s. 1](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited for all purposes as “The District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 1129](<https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/>) says owners and occupiers must not let water, rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome matter collect around their premises, or let the property become or remain unsightly. "Unsightly" includes filth, discarded or disused materials, garbage, dismantled trailers, boats, machinery, brush and wrecked vehicles.

Owners and occupiers must also keep property clear of brush, trees and noxious weeds, control caterpillars and insects, and remove graffiti. Exterior lights must not disturb neighbours.

## Steps

1. Contact the Bylaw Compliance Officer at 250-550-1503 or bylaw@coldstream.ca, or use the District's online contact form.
2. Give the address and describe the problem.
3. An officer follows up. Service is during regular office hours, with a response within 10 business days.

## Good to know

- If the owner or occupier does not remove the accumulation, graffiti, brush or insects, the District may enter and do the work at the owner's expense. A charge unpaid on December 31 is added to the property taxes as taxes in arrears.
- Inspectors may enter property at reasonable times to check compliance.
- The bylaw text sets no notice period or time to comply. Ask Bylaw Compliance what applies.
- Two ticket systems list the offence at different amounts. A bylaw notice is $100 ($50 if paid early, $150 late); a municipal ticket is $50. On conviction in court the penalty is $100 to $2,000 plus costs.

## Official forms and pages

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/)

## Related questions

- [Coldstream bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Coldstream noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/noise-rules.md)
- [Coldstream zoning: find your zone and what it allows](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/zoning-lookup.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Vernon](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/vernon/unsightly-property.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/unsightly-property.md)
- [Lake Country](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lake-country/unsightly-property.md)
- [Spallumcheen](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/spallumcheen/unsightly-property.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/unsightly-property.md)
- [Kelowna](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kelowna/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [District of Coldstream Unsightly Premises Bylaw No. 1129, 1993](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/1361/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Compliance, District of Coldstream](https://www.coldstream.ca/contact-us/contact-directory/bylaw-compliance) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Contact Us, District of Coldstream](https://www.coldstream.ca/contact) (read 2026-11-06)
- [District of Coldstream Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1636, 2013](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/11456/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [District of Coldstream Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1598, 2012](https://coldstream.civicweb.net/document/2314/) (read 2026-11-06)

_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 Coldstream. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/coldstream/unsightly-property/_