Bowden council gave first reading at its June 23 meeting to an updated nuisance bylaw for the community.The draft bylaw includes “new standards” and “greater specifics” for what is considered a nuisance in Bowden as well as “more significant penalties” compared to the town's current bylaw, which was approved in 2001, according to a report from town staff.“This now refers to not only visual things on a parcel of land, but also identifies those actions that individuals may be contemplating that would now be considered as being a nuisance under the new bylaw,” said Andy Weiss, the town's chief administrative officer, in an email response to the Olds Albertan.Council asked Weiss several questions during the meeting concerning the enforcement powers of Bowden's bylaw officer.Coun. Earl Wilson said the officer is “handcuffed” too much now when it comes to enforcement but Weiss said the bylaw officer can enforce nearly all of the provisions of the updated nuisance bylaw.Weiss said in his email that if someone is issued a ticket but does not pay the fine, the municipality can issue a “violation ticket.”“According to provincial legislation, only a Peace Officer is authorized to issue a ticket under this specific legislation,” he said in the email. “The Red Deer County Patrol members that have been appointed as Bylaw Enforcement Officers with the Town of Bowden are Peace Officers.”Concerns were also raised about potential legal costs the town could face if a resident were to challenge an enforcement ticket.Weiss told council at the meeting they would have to decide if pursuing such enforcement through the courts would be worth the cost of doing so.Council is seeking public input on the draft updated nuisance bylaw, which is available for viewing on the Town of Bowden's website at http://www.town.bowden.ab.ca/ or at the town office.Coun. Paul Webb said he believed community feedback won't come from the text of the bylaw but rather from enforcement activities in the town.The draft bylaw will go back before council at its next meeting on July [email protected]
