The District of Elkford adopted the ‘Good Neighbour Bylaw’ at a council meeting on Monday (Oct. 24).
Broadly speaking, the bylaw regulates unsightly property, outdoor storage of materials, structures and fences, plants and vegetation, outdoor watering, noise, and loitering.
It has attracted public attention since first proposed in June with people both for and against, and passed third reading at an Oct. 11 meeting with added direction that district staff further clarify and gather more feedback about the proposed bylaw before adoption.
The district had previously solicited public feedback, and a survey with 54 responses was included in the report to council on Oct. 11.
At the meeting on Oct. 24, the bylaw was brought again before Elkford council with a proposed resolution to adopt it.
Jeremy Johnston, director of planning and development services, gave a verbal report before the vote.
He said that, following the Oct. 11 council meeting, at council’s request, staff made a post on the district’s Facebook page and the Engage Elkford website about the bylaw.
“We made it as clear as possible what bylaws were being amended into the Good Neighbour Bylaw, and also to more plain language the rules around entering private property by a bylaw officer.”
Johnston said that according to their Facebook analytics, the post was viewed 1600 unique times.
“We received no records of concern,” he said, adding that the instruction on all the posts was to make it a record of concern either by phone, email or in person at the district office.
He said they received none, but added that they did receive two negative comments on the Facebook post.
Councillor Len Gostick, who voted against third reading despite being broadly in favour of the bylaw in order to better explain it to the public, said he still supports the bylaw and “now that we’ve exhausted all means and resources”, he would be in favour of moving it forward.
Shortly after Gostick’s comment, councillors voted and the bylaw was adopted.
The ‘Good Neighbour Bylaw No. 871, 2022’, along with public survey responses and district explanations about the bylaw can be found at the District of Elkford website in the Oct. 11 council agenda. A Facebook post about the bylaw can also be found on their Facebook page dated Oct. 12.
READ MORE: Elkford seeking public feedback on proposed ‘Good Neighbour Bylaw’
READ MORE: Elkford council seeks to clarify ‘Good Neighbour Bylaw’ after passing third reading
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