{"title":"Golden unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Golden?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/golden","name":"Golden","region":{"code":"bc","name":"British Columbia"},"country":{"code":"ca","name":"Canada"}},"category":{"slug":"bylaws-and-complaints","name":"Bylaws, noise and complaints"},"owner":"municipal","owner_label":"Municipal","owner_body":{"name":"Town of Golden","url":"https://www.golden.ca"},"short_answer":"In Golden, report an unsightly or overgrown property to Bylaw Enforcement at 250-344-2271 ext. 234 or with the online complaint form. Under the Property Maintenance Bylaw an officer can order the owner to fix it. An unsightly property notice is $300.","aliases":["overgrown yard golden bc","property maintenance bylaw golden","messy property complaint golden","tall grass golden"],"cost":"Bylaw notice: unsightly property $300 ($280 if paid within 14 days, $320 after 28 days). Failing to cut grass $50. Court: up to $10,000.","how_long":"Allow up to seven business days for a response. An order must be met in the time stated, or within 30 days if none is stated.","where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Enforcement","value":"250-344-2271 ext. 234"},{"type":"online","label":"Report a bylaw violation","value":"https://www.golden.ca/town-services/bylaw-enforcement"},{"type":"in_person","label":"Town Hall (complaint form)","value":"810 9th Ave. South, Golden, BC"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Bylaw Enforcement, Town of Golden","url":"https://www.golden.ca/town-services/bylaw-enforcement"},{"title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011 (PDF)","url":"https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf"}],"related":[{"slug":"bylaw-fines","title":"Golden bylaw fines and how tickets work","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/bylaw-fines/"},{"slug":"noise-rules","title":"Golden noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/noise-rules/"},{"slug":"rv-boat-trailer-parking","title":"Golden RV, boat and trailer parking rules","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/rv-boat-trailer-parking/"}],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/revelstoke","name":"Revelstoke","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/radium-hot-springs","name":"Radium Hot Springs","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/radium-hot-springs/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/invermere","name":"Invermere","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/invermere/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/nakusp","name":"Nakusp","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/sicamous","name":"Sicamous","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sicamous/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/canal-flats","name":"Canal Flats","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/canal-flats/unsightly-property/"}],"topic":{"title":"Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property/"},"facts":{"what_counts":{"label":"What counts","value":"An owner or occupant must not let the property become unsightly (cluttered, dilapidated, unclean or neglected) or let rubbish, broken furniture or appliances, vehicle parts, unused wood, or idle construction materials pile up. Also banned: standing water, noxious weeds, graffiti, grass over 30 cm (Apr. 30 to Sept. 30), and more than two unlicensed vehicles, one derelict vehicle or one inoperative trailer or vessel.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011 (PDF)","section":"s. 3(4), 4(1)","quotes":["must not cause, permit, suffer or allow the land, property or premises to become or","cluttered, dilapidated, disorganized, unclean, or in","more than two unlicensed vehicles","ensure that lawn grass is trimmed so that its height does not exceed 30 centimetres"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Contact Bylaw Enforcement: use the online complaint form (Report a Bylaw Violation), email, or call 250-344-2271 ext. 234, or pick up a form at Town Hall. Allow up to seven business days for a response.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/town-services/bylaw-enforcement","title":"Bylaw Enforcement, Town of Golden","section":"Bylaw Inquiries & Complaints","quotes":["Call Bylaw Enforcement at 250-344-2271 ext. 234","Fill out or pick up a form in person at Town Hall.","please allow up to seven business days for a response"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"A Bylaw Enforcement Officer can issue a written order. The owner must fix it in the time stated, or within 30 days if none is stated. The owner can ask Council to review at least 5 business days before the deadline. Otherwise the Town may do the work at the owner's cost, plus $100 for every ten days after the order expires.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011 (PDF)","section":"s. 4(1)(b), 5(2), 6(1), 7(2)","quotes":["within 30 days following the date the order was mailed or otherwise","seek review by Council","may recover the costs","an administrative charge of $100 for every ten days following the"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Bylaw notice: unsightly property $300 ($280 if paid within 14 days; $320 after 28 days). Accumulating rubbish or other listed items $300; failing to cut grass $50; failing to comply with an order $100. Court: up to $10,000.","short":"Notice $300 ($280 if paid within 14 days)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://golden.civicweb.net/document/129117/","title":"Bylaw Notice and Adjudication System Bylaw No. 1475, 2022","section":"Schedule N (Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011)","quotes":["Unsightly property $300.00 $280.00 $320.00","Fail to cut grass $50.00 $30.00 $70.00","Fail to comply with order $100.00 $80.00 $120.00"]},{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011 (PDF)","section":"s. 8(5)","quotes":["liable to pay a fine of up to","Ten Thousand Dollars ($10,000)"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011 (PDF)","section":"s. 1","quotes":["Property Maintenance Bylaw No.1287, 2011"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-08"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nThe [Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011](<https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf>) says an owner or occupant must not let the property become unsightly (cluttered, dilapidated, unclean or neglected). It also bans piles of rubbish, broken furniture or appliances, vehicle parts, unused wood and idle construction materials. Other banned items are standing water, noxious weeds, graffiti, grass over 30 cm (April 30 to September 30), and more than two unlicensed vehicles, one derelict vehicle, or one inoperative trailer or vessel. Farm business in farm-use areas is exempt.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Report it to Bylaw Enforcement: use the online complaint form, email, call 250-344-2271 ext. 234, or pick up a form at Town Hall.\n2. Allow up to seven business days for a response.\n3. An officer can issue a written order. The owner must fix the problem in the time stated, or within 30 days if none is stated.\n4. The owner can ask Council to review the order at least 5 business days before the deadline.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- If the work is not done, the Town may do it at the owner's cost, plus $100 for every ten days after the order expires.\n- Bylaw notices: unsightly property $300; accumulating rubbish or other listed items $300; failing to cut grass $50; failing to comply with an order $100.\n- A court can fine up to $10,000.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/sites/default/files/2022-01/Bylaw-1287-2011-Property-Maintenance-%281%29.pdf","title":"Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 1287, 2011 (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://www.golden.ca/town-services/bylaw-enforcement","title":"Bylaw Enforcement, Town of Golden","accessed":"2026-11-08"},{"url":"https://golden.civicweb.net/document/129117/","title":"Bylaw Notice and Adjudication System Bylaw No. 1475, 2022","accessed":"2026-11-08"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-08","review":{"status":"machine_checked","badge":"Checked against official text","label":"Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text."},"urls":{"html":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/golden/unsightly-property.json"}}