---
title: Williams Lake unsightly property rules and how to report
question: "How do I report an unsightly or overgrown property in Williams Lake?"
place: Williams Lake, British Columbia, Canada
place_path: ca/bc/williams-lake
category: Bylaws, noise and complaints
owner: municipal
owner_body: City of Williams Lake
sources_read: 2026-11-05
review: machine_checked
canonical: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/unsightly-property/"
json: "https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/unsightly-property.json"
---

# Williams Lake unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** Williams Lake's Good Neighbour Bylaw makes owners keep their property from becoming unsightly: rubbish, dead grass and weeds, unlicensed vehicles, graffiti and more. Report it in writing to Bylaw Services. The bylaw notice is $200.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (City of Williams Lake, https://www.williamslake.ca)  
**Cost:** Bylaw notice $200 for permitting property to become unsightly ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if paid late). Specific items such as rubbish, weeds, firewood, vehicle parts or graffiti: $100.  
**Where:**
- Online: Bylaw complaint form, https://williamslake.civicweb.net/items/Item/public.aspx?TypeID=17
- In person: City Hall or the Fire Hall (paper complaint form), 450 Mart Street or 230 Hodgson Rd, Williams Lake
- Phone: City Hall, 250-392-2311

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners must not let property become unsightly: accumulated rubbish, garbage or discarded material, offensive matter, stagnant water, unsightly or dead grass, weeds and vegetation, graffiti, building materials, firewood not in open stacked rows, vehicle parts, more than one unlicensed vehicle (lots under 1,700 m²), and more than one RV per dwelling unit outdoors (lots under 1,700 m²).
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.4.1](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "Rubbish, Garbage and Discarded Material: All Owners shall not permit the" … "No owner of Premises shall allow grass or weeds on the Premises to"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.4.1(g)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "Owners shall not permit more than one (1) motor vehicle that is not registered, licensed and insured"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 7.4.1(h)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "no more than one (1) recreation vehicle may be parked per dwelling"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), definitions, "unsightly"](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "“UNSIGHTLY” means any Property which, because of deposits of rubbish, Litter, garbage, Weeds, or lack"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **How to report:** Send a written complaint with your name and phone number and the property address (a complaint link on the Bylaw Services page, or a complaint form at City Hall or the Williams Lake Fire Hall). Questions: City Hall 250-392-2311, 230 Hodgson Rd, Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Complaints are confidential.
  - Source: [Bylaw Services, page](https://www.williamslake.ca/270/Bylaw-Services)
  - Official wording: "complete a written complaint form at City Hall or the Williams Lake Fire Hall" … "The name and phone number of the complainant must be provided" … "providing the address is essential" … "Complaint information is considered confidential by the City of Williams Lake"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **What happens next:** A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may issue a compliance order giving a time to fix it; the notice states a deadline of 14 days (24 hours for snow and ice on a sidewalk). If not done, the City may do the work and charge the owner; unpaid costs after 30 days may be sued for or added to the property tax bill.
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 9.2.2(d)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "must be remedied within fourteen (14) days of the date of delivery of the"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 9.2.4](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "the City, by its workers or others, may at all reasonable times and in a reasonable"
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 9.2.5](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "or direct that the amount of the cost be added to the real property tax roll as a"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Fine:** Bylaw notice: $200 for permitting property to become unsightly ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 late). Specific items such as rubbish, weeds, firewood, vehicle parts or graffiti: $100 ($75 early; $125 late).
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-20](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839)
  - Official wording: "above water Property Maintenance Permit property to 7.2 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 Yes become unsightly Accumulation of rubbish 7.4.1(a) $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes"
  - Source: [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-20](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839)
  - Official wording: "Permit property to 7.2 $200.00 $150.00 $250.00 Yes become unsightly Accumulation of rubbish 7.4.1(a) $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes or discarded material within the City" … "become unsightly Accumulation of rubbish 7.4.1(a) $100.00 $75.00 $125.00 Yes or discarded material within the City Accumulation of 7.4.1(b) $100.00 $75.00 $112.00 Yes"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06
- **Bylaw:** Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014
  - Source: [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated), s. 1.1](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)
  - Official wording: "This Bylaw may be cited as "City of Williams Lake Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194,"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-06

## How it works

Part 7 of the [Good Neighbour Bylaw](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) makes owners responsible for keeping their property from becoming unsightly. Part 7 does not apply to farm operations under the Right to Farm Act in farm-designated zones, or to orderly outdoor storage permitted by the Zoning Bylaw.

## What counts

- Accumulated rubbish, garbage or discarded material, offensive matter, and stagnant water.
- Unsightly or dead grass, weeds and vegetation.
- Graffiti, building materials, vehicle parts, and firewood not in open stacked rows.
- More than one unlicensed vehicle, and more than one RV per dwelling unit outdoors, on lots under 1,700 m2. Larger lots may keep two vehicles or two RVs.

## Steps

1. Note the address and what is wrong.
2. Send a written complaint with your name, phone number and the property address, using the complaint link on the Bylaw Services page or a form at City Hall or the Williams Lake Fire Hall. Questions: City Hall, 250-392-2311. Complaints are confidential.
3. A Bylaw Enforcement Officer may issue a compliance order. The notice states a deadline of 14 days (24 hours for snow and ice on a sidewalk). If it is not done, the City may do the work and charge the owner. Unpaid costs after 30 days may be sued for or added to the property tax bill.

## Good to know

- Graffiti has its own periods: 14 days, or 48 hours if it is hateful or gang-related. Fences in disrepair get 30 days' notice.
- Bylaw notices: $200 for permitting property to become unsightly ($150 if paid within 14 days; $250 if paid late). Specific items such as rubbish, weeds, firewood, vehicle parts or graffiti are $100 ($75 early; $125 late).

## Official forms and pages

- [Good Neighbour Bylaw page](https://www.williamslake.ca/647/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw)
- [Good Neighbour Bylaw 2194, 2014 (consolidated, PDF)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409)

## Related questions

- [Williams Lake bylaw fines and how tickets work](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/bylaw-fines.md)
- [Williams Lake noise bylaw: quiet hours, construction hours and fines](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/noise-rules.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [100 Mile House](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/100-mile-house/unsightly-property.md)
- [Quesnel](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/quesnel/unsightly-property.md)
- [Cache Creek](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/cache-creek/unsightly-property.md)
- [Clearwater](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/clearwater/unsightly-property.md)
- [Lillooet](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/lillooet/unsightly-property.md)
- [Ashcroft](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/ashcroft/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Bylaw Services, City of Williams Lake](https://www.williamslake.ca/270/Bylaw-Services) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Good Neighbour Bylaw, City of Williams Lake](https://www.williamslake.ca/647/Good-Neighbour-Bylaw) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 2194, 2014 (consolidated)](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/67409) (read 2026-11-05)
- [Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw No. 2196, 2013 (consolidated), Schedule A-20](https://williamslake.civicweb.net/document/61839) (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. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with City of Williams Lake. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/williams-lake/unsightly-property/_