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

# Nakusp unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Nakusp, the Good Neighbour Bylaw says owners and occupiers must not let a property become or stay unsightly. Report it in writing using the form on the Village's Bylaw Enforcement page or at the Village Office. A bylaw notice is $125.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Nakusp, https://www.nakusp.com)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days; $150 after 28 days); municipal ticket $100.  
**How long:** The bylaw gives an owner 7 days to comply after a violation notice. The Village's policy page describes a 30-day deadline.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office (Municipal Hall), 91 1st Street NW, Nakusp, BC (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-265-3689 (Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.)
- Online: Bylaw complaint form (written complaints only), https://www.nakusp.com/bylawenforcement

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let a property become or stay unsightly: rubbish, offensive matter, graffiti or discarded material visible from outside; untidy building materials; dead or uncontrolled vegetation; disrepair; derelict vehicles unless enclosed. Also no accumulated brush, weeds, odours, insects or combustible growth, or construction waste once a building permit is issued.
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011 (consolidated 2025), s. 1.2 "Unsightly"; s. 2.6; s. 2.14](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5605/)
  - Official wording: "the property to become or remain unsightly;" … "the storage or accumulation of one or more derelict vehicles unless they are stored in an enclosed building or structure." … "the storage, location or accumulation of offensive matter, rubbish, graffiti or discarded material that is visible from another property, a highway or other public place;" … "vegetation that is not maintained and is characterized by uncontrolled growth or is damaged or dead, and that vegetation is visible from another property, a highway or other public place;" … "must not permit the Accumulation of Combustible Growth or Material of any kind" … "where a building permit has been issued by the municipality with regard to the property, cause or permit demolition waste, construction waste or trade waste to accumulate on the property"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to report:** Submit a written complaint (name, civic address, telephone, location and nature of the problem) using the form on the Bylaw Enforcement page or at the Village Office. Priority 2 and 3 complaints need a second complaint from a different household; Priority 1 (safety) needs one. The page does not say which priority covers unsightly property.
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Complaints](https://www.nakusp.com/bylawenforcement)
  - Official wording: "All complaints must be in written format and include the complainant's name, civic address, telephone number, location of the infraction, and general nature of the potential bylaw contravention." … "A complaint can be submitted using the form on this webpage or in the Village Office." … "Complaints regarding Priority 2 and 3 issues will be investigated after a second complaint from a different household on the same subject matter." … "Priority 1 issues will be investigated after only one complaint."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What happens next:** Bylaw: the Village serves a violation notice on the owner stating what must be fixed and by when; the owner must comply within 7 days. If not, the Village may do the work and bill the owner; unpaid costs are added to property taxes. An owner may appeal to Council in writing at least 72 hours before the deadline. (Sources differ: The Bylaw Enforcement policy page describes a letter with a 30-day compliance deadline; the bylaw says 7 days from the violation notice. The bylaw value is given. Tickets may be issued instead of a violation notice (s. 4.4(b)).)
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011 (consolidated 2025), s. 4.4-4.11](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5605/)
  - Official wording: "An owner who receives a violation notice shall comply with all requirements set out in a violation notice within 7 (seven) days of the date of receiving it." … "the Municipality, by its workers or others, may, at all reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, enter the property and bring about such compliance at a cost" … "then the cost shall be added to and form part of the municipal taxes payable in respect of the property as taxes in arrears." … "may appeal to Council, by giving notice in writing to the Municipal Corporate Officer at least 72 hours prior to any deadline"
  - Source: [Bylaw Enforcement, Investigations, Enforcement & Repeat Offenders](https://www.nakusp.com/bylawenforcement)
  - Official wording: "bylaw enforcement letter stating the offence, the bylaw provisions, how to rectify the issue, and a 30-day compliance deadline."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days; $150 after 28 days; a compliance agreement is available). Municipal ticket: $100.
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 694, 2020 (consolidated), Schedule A, Good Neighbour, 2.6(c)](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/7413/)
  - Official wording: "2.6(c) Permit unsightly property 125 100 150 Yes"
  - Source: [Municipal Ticketing Information System Bylaw No. 684, 2018 (consolidated May 2025), Schedule 9](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/13964/)
  - Official wording: "Permit unsightly property 2.6(c) $100.00"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011 (consolidated to include Bylaw 753, 2025)
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011 (consolidated 2025), s. 1.1](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5605/)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as the “Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011”" … "CONSOLIDATED TO INCLUDE BYLAW(S) 753, 2025"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640](<https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5605/>) says owners and occupiers must not let a property become or stay unsightly. That covers rubbish, offensive matter, graffiti or discarded material visible from outside; untidy building materials; dead or uncontrolled vegetation; disrepair; and derelict vehicles unless enclosed. It also bans accumulated brush, weeds, odours, insects or combustible growth, and construction waste once a building permit is issued.

## Steps

1. Submit a written complaint with your name, civic address, telephone number, and the location and nature of the problem. Use the form on the [Bylaw Enforcement page](<https://www.nakusp.com/bylawenforcement>) or go to the Village Office, 91 1st Street NW.
2. Priority 2 and 3 complaints are investigated after a second complaint from a different household; Priority 1 (safety) after one. The page does not say which priority covers unsightly property.
3. Under the bylaw the Village serves a violation notice saying what must be fixed and by when. The owner must comply within 7 days.

## Good to know

- If the owner does not comply, the Village may do the work and bill the owner. Unpaid costs are added to property taxes.
- An owner may appeal to Council in writing at least 72 hours before the deadline.
- The Village's policy page describes a letter with a 30-day compliance deadline instead. The bylaw says 7 days, so confirm the deadline on your notice.
- Fine: a bylaw notice is $125 ($100 if paid within 14 days; $150 after 28 days; a compliance agreement is available). A municipal ticket is $100. The court fine can be up to $10,000 per offence, and each day is a separate offence.
- Exempt: farm land of two acres or more for stored materials incidental to farming (75 feet from the highway, screened); screened materials on industrial or commercial land; normal farm practices.

## Official forms and pages

- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011 (consolidated 2025) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5605/)
- [Municipal Ticketing Information System Bylaw No. 684, 2018 (consolidated May 2025) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/13964/)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 694, 2020 (consolidated) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/7413/)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Village of Nakusp](https://www.nakusp.com/bylawenforcement)

## Related questions

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

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Kaslo](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kaslo/unsightly-property.md)
- [Revelstoke](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/revelstoke/unsightly-property.md)
- [Lumby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lumby/unsightly-property.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/unsightly-property.md)
- [Enderby](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/enderby/unsightly-property.md)
- [Armstrong](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/armstrong/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 640, 2011 (consolidated 2025) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/5605/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement and Dispute Adjudication System Bylaw No. 694, 2020 (consolidated) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/7413/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Municipal Ticketing Information System Bylaw No. 684, 2018 (consolidated May 2025) (PDF), Village of Nakusp](https://nakusp.civicweb.net/document/13964/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaw Enforcement, Village of Nakusp](https://www.nakusp.com/bylawenforcement) (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 Village of Nakusp. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nakusp/unsightly-property/_