West Kelowna unsightly property rules and how to report

How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property?

West Kelowna, British ColumbiaChecked against official textSources read 2026-11-05

Short answer

Report it to West Kelowna Bylaw Compliance (778-797-8810, bylaws@westkelownacity.ca or the online service request). The Good Neighbour Bylaw bars owners and occupiers from letting a property become or stay unsightly, or letting rubbish or dead vegetation and weeds build up.

Key facts

What counts	An owner or occupier must not allow: water, rubbish or offensive matter to collect; rubbish to overflow or pile up around a container; the property to become or stay unsightly; dead landscaping, vegetation or weeds to build up; or, where a building permit is issued, demolition or construction waste to build up. Farm operations and orderly outdoor storage allowed by zoning are exempt.Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 0151 (consolidated), Part 8, ss. 8.1, 8.2 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording no owner or occupier of real property shall cause, suffer or permit: rubbish to overflow from or accumulate around any container situate on the real the real property to become or remain unsightly; the accumulation of dead landscaping, vegetation, weeds or other growths to Section 8 of this Bylaw does not apply to farm operations conducted in accordance with normal orderly outdoor storage of goods
How to report	Submit a complaint online (service request form), by phone at 778-797-8810, by email to bylaws@westkelownacity.ca, in person at City Hall (3731 Old Okanagan Highway) or by letter. Include your name, address, phone number and relationship to the property. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.Bylaw Compliance · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Submit bylaw complaints online, by phone, via email, in person, or by letter. MUST include your name, address, phone number and relationship to the property/person in question. Anonymous complaints are not accepted. West Kelowna City Hall 3731 Old Okanagan Highway West Kelowna, B.C. V4T 0G7 778-797-8810 bylaws@westkelownacity.ca
What happens next	An officer may issue a compliance order to the owner (and occupier), usually giving 14 days to fix it (48 hours if the property has a history of non-compliance). If the order is not met, the City may do the work and charge the owner all costs; unpaid costs after 30 days of a demand can be collected as a debt or added to the property tax bill.Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 0151 (consolidated), Part 8, ss. 10.1-10.7 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording the Bylaw Enforcement Officer may issue an Order noncompliance with this Bylaw must be remedied within 14 days of the if a property has a history of non-compliance, a Bylaw Officer may issue an Order to remedy may at all reasonable times and in a reasonable manner, enter the real property and bring about such compliance at the cost of the the cost as a debt due to be added to the real property tax roll
Fine	Unsightly property $500. Accumulation of matter, rubbish around a container, accumulated vegetation, or construction/demolition waste: $100 each. Bylaw notice and municipal ticket amounts are the same.Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 0093 (consolidated), Bylaw 0093, Schedule 4; Municipal Ticket Information Utilization Bylaw No. 0095 (consolidated), Bylaw 0095, Schedule 4 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording Unsightly property 8.1 (c) 500.00 Accumulation of matter 8.1 (a) 100.00 Accumulation of vegetation 8.1 (d) 100.00 Unsightly property 8.1 (c) 500.00
Bylaw	City of West Kelowna Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 0151, 2018 (Part 8).Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 0151 (consolidated), Part 8, s. 1 · Wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06 Official wording CITY OF WEST KELOWNA GOOD NEIGHBOUR BYLAW NO. 0151, 2018.

How it works

In West Kelowna, Part 8 of the City's Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 0151 says an owner or occupier must not allow water, rubbish or offensive matter to collect; rubbish to overflow or pile up around a container; the property to become or stay unsightly; dead landscaping, vegetation or weeds to build up; or, where a building permit is issued, demolition or construction waste to build up. Farm operations and orderly outdoor storage allowed by zoning are exempt.

Steps

Submit a complaint online, by phone (778-797-8810), by email, in person at City Hall (3731 Old Okanagan Highway) or by letter.
Include your name, address, phone number and relationship to the property. Anonymous complaints are not accepted.
An officer may issue a compliance order to the owner and occupier, usually giving 14 days to fix it (48 hours if the property has a history of non-compliance).

Good to know

If the order is not met, the City may do the work and charge the owner all costs. Costs unpaid 30 days after a demand can be collected as a debt or added to the property tax bill.
Repeat nuisance service calls to the same property can bring a $500 per call fee after written notice.
Fines: unsightly property $500; accumulated matter, rubbish around a container, accumulated vegetation, or construction or demolition waste $100 each. The bylaw notice and municipal ticket are the same amount.
Noxious weeds are covered by a separate bylaw, the Noxious Weed Control Bylaw 0345, which sets a height limit of 8 inches from April 1 to September 30. The City said the first year is education only, with no tickets; ask Bylaw Compliance what applies now.
Empty buildings are covered by the Vacant and Abandoned Buildings Bylaw 0192. For illegal dumping, see the illegal dumping answer.