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

# Zeballos unsightly property rules and how to report

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

**Short answer:** In Zeballos, the Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012 bans accumulations of rubbish, wrecked vehicles and unchecked weeds. The Village gives the owner notice, then up to seven more days, and may do the work at the owner's cost. Call the Village Office at 250-761-4229.

**Who handles it:** Municipal (Village of Zeballos, https://www.zeballos.com)  
**Cost:** Not stated on the Village's website. Fine under the bylaw: not less than $100 a day for a continuing offence, plus costs.  
**How long:** Notice, then a second notice with seven more days; the whole period may not exceed 30 days.  
**Where:**
- In person: Village Office, 157 Maquinna Avenue, Zeballos, BC V0P 2A0 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.; appointments may be arranged in advance between 1:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., subject to staff availability)
- Phone: Village Office, 250-761-4229
- Email: Village Office, reception@zeballos.com

## Key facts

- **What counts:** Owners must not let filth, discarded material or rubbish accumulate (including wrecked vehicles, scrap, and building materials stored where no construction is under way), let brush or noxious weeds grow after notice, let fences fall into disrepair, or allow graffiti. A licensed business may store materials essential to it if screened from view.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012, s. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf)
  - Official wording: "No owner of real property shall allow such property to become or to remain untidy or unsightly by the accumulation thereon of any filth, discarded material or rubbish of any kind." … "The storage of building materials on a site where construction is not taking place" … "clean such property of brush or noxious weeds" … "no person shall allow a fence located on a property of which he or she is the owner to fall into a state of disrepair" … "No person shall place or permit the placement of graffiti on walls and fences." … "provide screening on the property suitable to prohibit viewing of the materials"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **How to report:** Not confirmed. The Village's website does not say how to report an unsightly property.
- **What happens next:** A Village employee gives notice (by hand or regular mail). If work is incomplete after the notice date, a second notice gives seven more days; the whole period may not exceed 30 days. Then the Chief Administrative Officer reports to Council. The Village may do the work at the owner's cost; unpaid charges on December 31 are added to property taxes. The owner may ask Council to reconsider within 14 days.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012, s. 10, 11, 12](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf)
  - Official wording: "a further seven days deadline is given" … "shall not exceed thirty (30) days after the notice is sent" … "the matter will be reported to the Chief Administrative Officer who will report on the matter at an open meeting of Council" … "if unpaid on December 31 in any year, shall be added and form part of the taxes payable on that real property as taxes in arrears" … "within fourteen (14) days of the date on which the notice of remedial action was sent"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Fine:** Offence punishable on summary conviction by a fine of not less than $100 a day for continuing offences, plus costs. No ticket amount was found.
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012, s. 13](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf)
  - Official wording: "shall be liable to a fine not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100) a day for continuing offences"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08
- **Bylaw:** Village of Zeballos Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012
  - Source: [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012, s. 1](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf)
  - Official wording: "VILLAGE OF ZEBALLOS BYLAW NO. 457-2012" … "Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-"
  - Check: wording matched the official text retrieved 2026-11-08

## How it works
Zeballos's [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf) stops owners from letting rubbish pile up. Owners must not let filth, discarded material or rubbish collect on their property, including wrecked vehicles, scrap and building materials stored where no construction is under way. They must also clear brush or noxious weeds after notice, repair or remove fences in disrepair, and not allow graffiti. A licensed business may store materials essential to it if they are screened from view.

## Steps
1. To report a property, call the Village Office at 250-761-4229 or email reception@zeballos.com. The Village's website does not say how to report one, so ask.
2. A Village employee gives the owner notice by hand or regular mail.
3. If the work is not done by the notice date, a second notice gives seven more days. The whole period may not exceed 30 days.
4. Then the Chief Administrative Officer reports to Council. The Village may do the work at the owner's cost; charges unpaid on December 31 are added to property taxes.

## Good to know
- An owner may ask Council to reconsider within 14 days.
- After a demolition, debris must be removed immediately and any excavation filled in or covered.
- The bylaw's penalty is a fine of not less than $100 a day for a continuing offence, plus costs. No ticket amount was found on the Village's site.
- The bylaw dates from 2012 and we found no later amendments.

## Official forms and pages

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012 (PDF)](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf)

## Related questions

- [Zeballos yard waste collection and drop-off](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zeballos/yard-waste.md)

## The same question elsewhere

- [Unsightly property fines in British Columbia, by municipality](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/unsightly-property.md)
- [Tahsis](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/tahsis/unsightly-property.md)
- [Gold River](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/gold-river/unsightly-property.md)
- [Port Alice](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-alice/unsightly-property.md)
- [Port McNeill](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-mcneill/unsightly-property.md)
- [Sayward](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/sayward/unsightly-property.md)
- [Port Hardy](https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/port-hardy/unsightly-property.md)

## Sources

- [Unsightly Premises Bylaw 457-2012 (PDF)](https://www.zeballos.com/Zeballos2016/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Bylaw-457-2012-Unsightly-Premises.pdf) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Bylaws, Village of Zeballos](https://www.zeballos.com/home/municipal-services/bylaws/) (read 2026-11-08)
- [Contact Us, Village of Zeballos](https://www.zeballos.com/contact-us-2/) (read 2026-11-08)

_Checked by script, not yet by a person: the official wording behind 4 of 5 facts was matched to the official text; 1 could not be confirmed. Gov Handbook is an independent guide, not affiliated with Village of Zeballos. How answers are checked: https://govhandbook.com/methods/ · Canonical page: https://govhandbook.com/ca/bc/zeballos/unsightly-property/_