{"title":"Terrace unsightly property rules and how to report","question":"How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?","slug":"unsightly-property","place":{"path":"ca/bc/terrace","name":"Terrace","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":"City of Terrace","url":"https://www.terrace.ca"},"short_answer":"In Terrace, the Nuisance Bylaw 1318 bans unsightly property, including piled rubbish, building material, and unregistered or non-running vehicles, and lets the City order brush and noxious weeds cleared. Report it to the Bylaw Department by form or at 250-615-4037. The ticket is $300.","aliases":["messy yard terrace","overgrown lot","junk vehicle on property","weeds neighbour","garbage on private property"],"cost":"Free to report. Unsightly property ticket $300.","how_long":null,"where":[{"type":"phone","label":"Bylaw Department","value":"250-615-4037","note":"Monday to Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m."},{"type":"email","label":"Bylaw complaints","value":"bylaw.compliance@terrace.ca"}],"documents":[],"forms":[{"title":"Nuisance Bylaw 1318 consolidated (PDF)","url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/3927"},{"title":"Bylaw Complaint Form (fillable PDF)","url":"https://www.terrace.ca/sites/default/files/docs/city-services/bylaw-complaint-form-fillable.pdf"}],"related":[],"nearby":[{"place":"ca/bc/kitimat","name":"Kitimat","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/kitimat/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/new-hazelton","name":"New Hazelton","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/new-hazelton/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/smithers","name":"Smithers","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/smithers/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/telkwa","name":"Telkwa","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/telkwa/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/port-edward","name":"Port Edward","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-edward/unsightly-property/"},{"place":"ca/bc/prince-rupert","name":"Prince Rupert","url":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/prince-rupert/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":"No owner or occupier may let property become or stay unsightly. 'Unsightly' includes building material piled on the property (unless there is a building permit or it is in a covered building), unregistered or non-running motor vehicles (unless in a covered building), and accumulations of filth, rubbish or discarded materials. Owners must also clear brush, trees and noxious weeds when the City directs, and not allow insect infestations.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/3927","title":"Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318-1993 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"s. 1(j), 4(4), 4(5), 4(6)","quotes":["No owner or occupier of real property shall permit or cause that","property to become or remain unsightly.","the accumulation of building material on any property other than","capable of movement under its own power, unless stored","the accumulation of filth, discarded materials or rubbish of any","fail to clear","such property of brush, trees, noxious weeds, or other growths when"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"how_to_report":{"label":"How to report","value":"Submit the online Bylaw Complaint Form, or email the fillable PDF form to bylaw.compliance@terrace.ca, or phone the Bylaw Department at 250-615-4037.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/city-hall/departments/development-services/bylaw-enforcement","title":"Bylaw Enforcement, City of Terrace","section":"Bylaw Enforcement page","quotes":["You can submit a bylaw complaint a number of ways:","Download a fillable PDF Bylaw Complaint Form. Save it and email it to bylaw.compliance@terrace.ca.","Or phone the Bylaw Department at: 250-615-4037"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"process":{"label":"What happens next","value":"If the owner does not comply, the City may enter the property at reasonable times, fix the problem, and bill the owner. Unpaid costs on December 31 are added to the property taxes as arrears.","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/3927","title":"Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318-1993 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"s. 4(7)","quotes":["The City of Terrace, by its employees or other persons, at","the unpaid costs shall be added to and form part of the taxes payable"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"fine":{"label":"Fine","value":"Unsightly property: $300. Related: failing to clear growth $100; noxious matter accumulating $100; depositing rubbish $200.","short":"$300","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/4139","title":"Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1827 (consolidated to 2334-2025) (PDF)","section":"Schedule 11","quotes":["Unsightly property","$300.00","Fail to clear growth"]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}},"bylaw":{"label":"Bylaw","value":"City of Terrace Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318-1993 (consolidated)","status":"stated","sources":[{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/3927","title":"Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318-1993 (consolidated) (PDF)","section":"s. 12","quotes":["This Bylaw may be cited as \"City of Terrace Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318-1993\"."]}],"check":{"result":"matched","text_date":"2026-11-06"}}},"facts_summary":{"total":5,"stated":5,"matched":5,"none":0,"unknown":0},"body_markdown":"## How it works\n\nUnder the [Nuisance Bylaw 1318](<https://www.terrace.ca/media/3927>), no owner or occupier may let property become or stay unsightly. \"Unsightly\" includes building material piled on the property (unless there is a building permit or it is in a covered building), unregistered or non-running motor vehicles (unless in a covered building), and accumulations of filth, rubbish or discarded materials.\n\n## Steps\n\n1. Note the address and what you see.\n2. Submit the online Bylaw Complaint Form, or email the fillable PDF form to bylaw.compliance@terrace.ca, or phone the Bylaw Department at 250-615-4037.\n3. A Bylaw Officer follows up. Enforcement relies largely on complaints.\n\n## Good to know\n\n- Owners must also clear brush, trees and noxious weeds when the City directs, and must not allow insect infestations.\n- If the owner does not comply, the City may enter the property at reasonable times, fix the problem and bill the owner. Costs unpaid on December 31 are added to the property taxes.\n- The bylaw sets no notice period or deadline for unsightly property. Ask the Bylaw Department how long an owner gets.\n- Municipal tickets: unsightly property $300; failing to clear growth $100; noxious matter accumulating $100; depositing rubbish $200.","sources":[{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/3927","title":"Nuisance Bylaw No. 1318-1993 (consolidated) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/media/4139","title":"Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 1827 (consolidated to 2334-2025) (PDF)","accessed":"2026-11-05"},{"url":"https://www.terrace.ca/city-hall/departments/development-services/bylaw-enforcement","title":"Bylaw Enforcement, City of Terrace","accessed":"2026-11-05"}],"sources_read":"2026-11-05","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/terrace/unsightly-property/","markdown":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/unsightly-property.md","json":"https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/terrace/unsightly-property.json"}}