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

# Gibsons unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Gibsons, report an unsightly or overgrown property to the Bylaw Officer at 604-886-2274 or beo@gibsons.ca, or use the online Bylaw Complaint Form. The Property Maintenance Bylaw allows a $200 bylaw notice and a 21-day order to clean up overgrowth.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Town of Gibsons, https://www.gibsons.ca)  
**Cost:** Free to report. Bylaw notice $200 ($150 if paid early, $300 late).  
**How long:** Notice to comply within 21 days for overgrowth and similar matters (s. 3.6).  
**Where:**
- Phone: Bylaw Officer, Town of Gibsons, 604-886-2274
- Email: Bylaw Officer, beo@gibsons.ca

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let property become or stay 'unsightly'. That includes outdoor piles of building material, derelict or unused vehicles, boats or appliances (even under a tarp), accumulated rubbish, filth or fallen fruit, and any outdoor accumulation of articles. They must also clear brush, noxious weeds and wild grass, prevent insect infestations, control dust, and not place graffiti.
  - Source: [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780, 1995, s. 2.3, 3.1, 3.4, 3.5, 3.6](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104778/)
  - Official wording: "UNSIGHTLY includes but is not limited to:" … "Any derelict, deteriorating, inoperative or unused vehicle, boat or" … "Any accumulation of fallen fruit." … "Any outdoor accumulation of articles whether or not discarded." … "allow that property to become or remain unsightly." … "Clear the property of brush, noxious weeds, wild grass and other" … "No person shall place graffiti on walls, fences, or elsewhere on or adjacent"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Contact the Bylaw Officer at 604-886-2274 or beo@gibsons.ca, or fill in the Bylaw Complaint Form on the Town website.
  - Source: [Bylaw enforcement, Report a Bylaw Infraction](https://gibsons.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/)
  - Official wording: "To report any complaints or concerns (such as noise, parking, dogs at large or unsightly properties)" … "or complete and submit a Bylaw Complaint Form." … "604-886-2274" … "beo@gibsons.ca"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** For overgrowth, accumulated materials and infestations (s. 3.6), the Bylaw Enforcement Officer or Building Inspector can give written notice to comply within 21 days. If the owner does not comply, the Town may enter and remove the materials or growth at the owner's expense. Unpaid costs on December 31 are added to the property taxes.
  - Source: [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780, 1995, s. 4.1, 4.2](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104778/)
  - Official wording: "may give written notice" … "to that person to comply within twenty-one (21) days of delivery of the notice" … "at the expense of the person who has failed to comply." … "such costs remain unpaid on December 31 in the year the removal was" … "done, the costs shall be added to and form part of the taxes payable on the"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice for unsightly property: $200 ($150 if paid early, $300 late). Placing graffiti: $100 ($80, $120).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125, Schedule A, Bylaw 780 s. 3.1, 3.4](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104779/)
  - Official wording: "Unsightly property / cause a" … "780 3.1 $200 $150 $300" … "Place graffiti $100 $80 $120"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780, 1995
  - Source: [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780, 1995, s. 1](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104778/)
  - Official wording: "This bylaw may be cited for all purposes as the "Property Maintenance Bylaw No."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

The [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780](<https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104778/>) says owners and occupiers in Gibsons must not let property become or stay "unsightly". That includes:

- Outdoor piles of building material, and derelict or unused vehicles, boats or appliances (even under a tarp).
- Accumulated rubbish, filth or fallen fruit, and any outdoor accumulation of articles.
- Brush, noxious weeds and wild grass that are not cleared, insect infestations, uncontrolled dust, and graffiti.

Some building-material and business exceptions apply.

## Steps

1. Contact the Bylaw Officer at 604-886-2274 or beo@gibsons.ca, or fill in the Bylaw Complaint Form on the Town's website.
2. The Town responds mostly to complaints. It says it favours education and voluntary compliance, with tickets where needed.
3. For overgrowth, accumulated materials and infestations, an officer or Building Inspector can give written notice to comply within 21 days.

## Good to know

- If the owner does not comply, the Town may enter and remove the materials or growth at the owner's expense. Unpaid costs on December 31 are added to the property taxes.
- Bylaw notice for unsightly property: $200 ($150 if paid early, $300 late). Placing graffiti: $100 ($80, $120).

## Official forms and pages

- [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780, 1995 (Town of Gibsons)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104778/)
- [Bylaw enforcement and complaint form, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/)

## Related questions

- [Gibsons bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Gibsons RV, boat and trailer parking rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/rv-boat-trailer-parking.md)
- [Gibsons noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Bowen Island](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/bowen-island/unsightly-property.md)
- [West Vancouver](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/west-vancouver/unsightly-property.md)
- [Lions Bay](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lions-bay/unsightly-property.md)
- [Sechelt](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sechelt/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)

## Sources

- [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780, 1995, Town of Gibsons (consolidated November 2021)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104778/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 1125, Town of Gibsons (consolidated)](https://gibsons.civicweb.net/document/104779/) (read 2026-11-06)
- [Bylaw enforcement, Town of Gibsons](https://gibsons.ca/services/bylaw-enforcement/) (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 Town of Gibsons. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gibsons/unsightly-property/_