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

# Salmo unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Salmo, owners must not let property become or stay unsightly or unsanitary. To report one, call the Village office at 250-357-9433 or use the Bylaw Complaint Form. Staff send the owner a letter; the owner has 31 days to clean up.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Salmo, https://salmo.ca)  
**Cost:** No cost to report. Municipal ticket: $100 for each listed offence. Court fine on conviction: $250 to $2,000 plus costs.  
**How long:** The owner has 31 days to clean up and 14 days to respond in writing.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 423 Davies Avenue, Salmo, BC V0G 1Z0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (closed 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and on statutory holidays))
- Phone: Village Office, 250-357-9433

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners and occupiers must not let property become or stay unsightly or unsanitary. This includes filth, discarded materials or rubbish; standing water, broken glass, uncontained compost or graffiti; unsightly growth of trees, weeds or grass; smoke, dust or fumes; unregistered or inoperable vehicles; and unused construction materials.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649, s. 4.1, 4.2](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No person, who is the owner or occupier of real property, shall allow that real property to become or remain unsightly or unsanitary." … "the accumulation of filth, discarded materials, or rubbish of any kind on their premise" … "construction materials and equipment, not currently being used for the purposes of valid construction"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to report:** Complaints go to Village staff; the Village lists a Bylaw Complaint Form on its Forms page (submit in person, by email or through the Contact page). Village office: 250-357-9433.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649, s. 5.1](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf)
  - Official wording: "When a complaint is received by staff, or in the opinion of Bylaw Enforcement personnel, a member of staff will inspect the property"
  - Source: [Forms, Forms page](https://salmo.ca/services/forms/)
  - Official wording: "- Sidewalk Table Area Permit Application Form - Bylaw 730 ## Requests & Miscellaneous Forms - Bylaw Complaint Form - General Complaint Form - Civic Works General Request Form"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **What happens next:** Staff inspect, photograph and send the owner, occupier and mortgagee a letter with a ticket. The owner has 31 days to clean up and 14 days to respond in writing; Council may hear the owner. After day 31, staff or a contractor may clean up and bill the owner; unpaid charges go on the tax bill.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649, s. 5.1 to 5.4](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The letter will direct remediation of the property within 31 days, and the offending party will be given 14 days from the date of issuance to respond in writing." … "staff or a contractor will clean up the property and send an account to the Owner/Occupier" … "the charges will be added to and form part of the taxes payable as taxes in arrears."
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Municipal ticket: $100 for each listed offence (Schedule F). On conviction in court: $250 to $2,000 plus costs, and each day is a separate offence.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649, Schedule F; s. 6.1, 6.2](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf)
  - Official wording: "The accumulation of filth, discarded materials, or rubbish of 4.2.1 $100.00" … "liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than two hundred and fifty dollars ($250.00) and not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00)"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Salmo Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649, 2013 (adopted July 8, 2014).
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649, Certificate](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf)
  - Official wording: "Village of Salmo Unsightly Premises By-law No.649, 2013"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works

The [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf) says owners and occupiers must not let property become or stay unsightly or unsanitary. This includes filth, discarded materials or rubbish; standing water, broken glass, uncontained compost or graffiti; unsightly growth of trees, weeds or grass; smoke, dust or fumes; unregistered or inoperable vehicles; and unused construction materials. This applies in the considered opinion of council or appointed staff. Vehicles stored in a closed building out of view are excepted.

## Steps

1. Call the Village office at 250-357-9433, or use the Bylaw Complaint Form on the [Forms page](https://salmo.ca/services/forms/) (in person, by email or through the Contact page).
2. Staff inspect, photograph and send the owner, occupier and mortgagee a letter with a ticket.
3. The owner has 31 days to clean up and 14 days to respond in writing. Council may hear the owner.
4. After day 31, staff or a contractor may clean up and bill the owner. Unpaid charges go on the tax bill.

## Good to know

- Council may shorten the 31 days by resolution if there is a health or safety risk.
- A municipal ticket is $100 for each listed offence. On conviction in court the fine is $250 to $2,000 plus costs, and each day is a separate offence. These apply in different processes.

## Official forms and pages

- [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649 (PDF)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf)
- [Forms, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/forms/)

## Related questions

- [Salmo noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/noise-rules.md)
- [Salmo RV, boat and trailer parking rules](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/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)
- [Fruitvale](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/fruitvale/unsightly-property.md)
- [Montrose](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/montrose/unsightly-property.md)
- [Castlegar](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/castlegar/unsightly-property.md)
- [Nelson](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/nelson/unsightly-property.md)
- [Trail](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/trail/unsightly-property.md)
- [Warfield](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/warfield/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Unsightly Premises By-law No. 649 (PDF)](https://salmo.ca/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/649-Unsightly-Premises-Bylaw-V3.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Forms, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/services/forms/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact, Village of Salmo](https://salmo.ca/contact/) (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 Salmo. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/salmo/unsightly-property/_