Sechelt unsightly property rules and how to report
How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Sechelt?
Short answer
In Sechelt, owners and tenants must not let their property become unsightly, unsanitary or hazardous, for example with accumulated garbage, noxious weeds or graffiti. Report a problem through the District's online complaint form or Bylaw Enforcement. Bylaw notices run from $100 to $450.
Key facts
| What counts | Owners, legal tenants and people authorized by the owner must not allow: accumulated refuse, garbage or noxious, offensive or unwholesome material; accumulated water; unsanitary conditions; designated noxious weeds; trees or growths that are a safety hazard; graffiti on buildings or structures; unsightly conditions; health, fire or safety hazards on stairs, walks, driveways, buildings, fences and the like; nuisance odour; or a vacant property or building that is not secured.Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 522, 2012 (consolidated), s. 2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingNo owner, legal tenant, or person authorized by the owner to occupy and use real property refuse, garbage, or other noxious, offensive, or unwholesome material to accumulate noxious weeds designated under the Weed Control Regulation of the Weed Control unsightly conditions to exist on such real property nuisance odour; a vacant property or vacant building to be unsecure |
|---|---|
| How to report | Use the District's online Bylaw Enforcement complaint form (the most effective way), or the PDF complaint form, or contact Bylaw Enforcement at 604.885.1986 ext. 2.Bylaw Enforcement, Bylaw Enforcement page; Contacts Directory | District of Sechelt, Contacts directory · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingPlease note that the most effective way to submit a bylaw enforcement complaint is by using the online form: Bylaw Enforcement Complaint PDF Form. T: 604.885.1986 ext. 2 |
| What happens next | Owners and occupiers must remove the listed conditions. If they do not, and have been given the chance to appear before Council to be heard, the District may do the work itself or through others at the owner's expense and recover the cost as a debt or in the same way as property taxes. Officers may enter property at reasonable times to check.Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 522, 2012 (consolidated), ss. 3, 4, 7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingEvery owner and occupier of real property shall remove, or cause to be removed, from has been given an opportunity to appear before Council to be heard in respect of such failure at the expense of the owner or occupier Any officer or employee of the District of Sechelt may enter at all reasonable times on any |
| Fine | Bylaw notices: unsightly real property $300; failure to maintain property $300; refuse or garbage $300; accumulated water $250; unsanitary conditions $300; weeds $100; graffiti $300; hazardous real property $350; unsecured property $450. Failing to remove an unsightly condition (s. 3(g)): $300. Compliance agreements available.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026), Schedule A, Property Maintenance Bylaw · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wording522, 2012 Section 2 Unsightly real property $300 Yes Failure to maintain property $300 Yes Accumulation of Weeds $100 Yes Hazardous real property $350 Yes Not secure from unauthorized access $450 Yes Owner/Occupier fail to remove unsightly $300 Yes 522, 2012 Section 3 Owner/Occupier fail to remove unsightly $300 Yes |
| Bylaw | District of Sechelt Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 522, 2012Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 522, 2012 (consolidated), s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06Official wordingThis bylaw may be cited as District of Sechelt Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 522, 2012. |
How it works
The Property Maintenance Bylaw 522 says owners, legal tenants and people authorized by the owner must not allow:
- accumulated refuse, garbage or noxious, offensive or unwholesome material
- accumulated water, or unsanitary conditions
- designated noxious weeds
- trees or growths that are a safety hazard
- graffiti on buildings or structures
- unsightly conditions
- health, fire or safety hazards on stairs, walks, driveways, buildings, fences and the like
- a nuisance odour
- a vacant property or building that is not secured
"Unsightly" is not further defined in the bylaw.
Steps
- Report it with the District's online Bylaw Enforcement complaint form (described as the most effective way), or the PDF complaint form.
- Or call Bylaw Enforcement at 604-885-1986 ext. 2.
Good to know
- If an owner does not remove the conditions and has been given the chance to appear before Council to be heard, the District may do the work itself or through others at the owner's expense and recover the cost as a debt or in the same way as property taxes.
- Officers may enter property at reasonable times to check.
- The bylaw states no fixed time to comply. Each day a violation continues is a separate offence.
- Bylaw notice amounts are in the cost field above. Failing to remove an unsightly condition is $300. Nuisance odour is $200, $250 or $300 for a first, second or third offence. Compliance agreements are available; no early or late amounts are set.
Official forms and pages
The same question in other places
Gibsons · Bowen Island · Lantzville · Nanaimo · Lions Bay · West Vancouver
Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality →
Sources
- Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 522, 2012 (consolidated) (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Notice Enforcement Implementation Bylaw No. 515, 2012 (consolidated February 2026) (PDF) (read 2026-11-06)
- Bylaw Enforcement, District of Sechelt (read 2026-11-06)
- Contacts Directory | District of Sechelt (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. How answers are checked.