Powell River unsightly property rules and how to report
How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?
Short answer
Report an unsightly or overgrown property in the City of Powell River to Bylaw Enforcement at 604-485-8600, through the City's online form, or at City Hall. Bylaw 2649 bans accumulated rubbish and noxious weeds and requires lawn grass at 20 cm or under. A written order is normally for 21 days.
Key facts
| What counts | Owners may not allow rubbish or noxious, offensive or unwholesome material, unsanitary conditions, buildings in disrepair, or noxious weeds to accumulate on property. Owners and occupiers must keep lawn grass at or under 20 cm, maintain visible vegetation neatly, remove overgrown vegetation, keep vegetation waste to a contained area under 2 m³ (71 ft³), and clear debris after a demolition. Graffiti must be removed from building exteriors.Property and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649, 2021, ss. 3, 4; Sch. B · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingRubbish, or other material that is noxious, offensive or unwholesome; Ensure that lawn grass is trimmed so that its height does not exceed 20 centimetres; in a contained area not to The exterior of every Building must be free of graffiti; |
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| How to report | Call Bylaw Enforcement at (604) 485-8600 (8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday), use the City's online issue/complaint form, or go to City Hall, 6910 Duncan Street. After hours and weekends: (604) 485-6291, press 3. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.Bylaw Enforcement, Bylaw Complaints · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingCall (604) 485-8600 (8:00 am - 4:30 pm) Monday - Friday On-line Issue/Complaint Form Anonymous complaints will not be accepted by the City |
| What happens next | After inspection the City gives the owner notice and a time to comply; a written order is normally for 21 days, or immediate for a health, safety or environmental matter. Each re-inspection costs $100. An order can be appealed to Council in writing within 7 days. If the owner does not comply, Council may make a declaration under s. 72 of the Community Charter and the City may do the work at the owner's cost; costs unpaid by December 31 are collected like property taxes plus a $50 fee.Property and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649, 2021, ss. 5, 9, 11, 14-16 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingA fee of One Hundred ($100.00) Dollars is payable to the City for each re-inspection carried out pursuant to this Section. within 7 days of receipt, that the Person wishes to appear before at the cost of the defaulting owner or other responsible Person. plus an administration fee of fifty ($50) dollars Council may make a declaration in accordance with Section 72 of the Community Charter at the cost of the defaulting owner or other responsible Person |
| Fine | Bylaw notice: $150 for rubbish or unsanitary conditions; $100 noxious weeds; $75 grass over 20 cm; $150 vegetation waste over 2 m3; $450 uncleared demolition debris (on a $150 penalty, $30 discount within 14 days and $30 surcharge after 28 days; amounts differ by offence). Municipal ticket: $150 for each of those except demolition debris ($1,000).Sources differ: The two schedules differ: the current Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026 lists $100 for noxious weeds and $75 for grass over 20 cm, while the January 2022 Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw lists $150 for both. The MTI schedule also names 'Property Maintenance and Standards Bylaw 2500, 2018' in its Schedule 1 list, which Bylaw 2649, 2021 repealed. Bylaw 2649 s. 20 sets a court fine of $150 to $10,000.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026, App. 13; Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026, s. 7, Sch. A; Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw 2572, 2019 (consolidated January 2022), Sch. 8 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording3 (a) Allowing rubbish, or other $150 $30 $30 $75 3 (d) Allowing noxious weeds to $100 $20 $20 $50 4(a) Allowing lawn grass to exceed $75 $15 $15 4(e) Accumulating vegetation $150 $30 $30 $75 4(f) Failure to remove debris and $450 $50 $50 if Paid within 14 days of the bylaw notice being received the amount of the surcharge in Column A3 of Schedule "A" shall be due Allowing rubbish, or other material that is noxious, offensive or Allowing lawn grass to exceed 20 centimeters in height 4(a) $150.00 |
| Bylaw | Property and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649, 2021Property and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649, 2021, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingProperty and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649, |
How it works
The Property and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649 says owners may not allow rubbish, noxious or offensive material, unsanitary conditions, buildings in disrepair or noxious weeds to accumulate on property. Owners and occupiers must keep lawn grass at or under 20 cm, maintain visible vegetation neatly, remove overgrown vegetation, keep vegetation waste to a contained area under 2 m³ (71 ft³), and clear debris after a demolition. Graffiti must be removed from building exteriors.
Steps
- Report it to Bylaw Enforcement at 604-485-8600, with the online form, or at City Hall. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. Enforcement is complaint-generated except for health or safety issues.
- After inspection, the City gives the owner notice and time to comply. A written order is normally for 21 days, or immediate for a health, safety or environmental matter.
- An owner can appeal an order to Council in writing within 7 days.
- If the owner does not comply, Council may make a declaration under s. 72 of the Community Charter and the City may do the work at the owner's cost. Costs unpaid by December 31 are collected like property taxes, plus a $50 fee.
Good to know
- "Rubbish" includes discarded appliances and furniture, unused machinery, and derelict vehicles, recreational vehicles, campers, utility trailers, boat trailers, boats and tires.
- Erosion-control or riparian vegetation, neatly stacked firewood, landscape screening and forest trees with natural undergrowth are allowed.
- Each re-inspection costs $100.
- A bylaw notice is $150 for rubbish or unsanitary conditions, $100 for noxious weeds, $75 for grass over 20 cm, $150 for vegetation waste over 2 m³, and $450 for uncleared demolition debris. Discounts (within 14 days) and surcharges (after 28 days) vary by offence; on a $150 penalty each is $30.
- A municipal ticket is $150 for each of those except demolition debris, which is $1,000. The older ticket schedule lists $150 for noxious weeds and grass, so the two official schedules differ; confirm with the City.
- The bylaw's court fine is $150 to $10,000.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Comox · Courtenay · Cumberland · Qualicum Beach · Campbell River · Parksville
Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Property and Building Maintenance Standards Bylaw 2649, 2021 (read 2026-11-05)
- Bylaw Enforcement, City of Powell River (read 2026-11-05)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw 2818, 2026 (read 2026-11-05)
- Municipal Ticketing Information Bylaw 2572, 2019 (consolidated January 2022) (read 2026-11-05)
Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 5 of 5 facts was matched to the official text. How answers are checked.