The Town of Olds will study amalgamating several different bylaws into one broad-based community standards bylaw.
In an interview, Coun. Mary Jane Harper said she would like to see various bylaws, such as the Land Use Bylaw relating to recreational vehicle parking and the Unsightly Premises Bylaw consolidated. Harper said bringing together regulations on firepits, recreational vehicle parking and unsightly premises would better allow town administrators, municipal enforcement personnel and the RCMP to enforce community standards.
“There should be an expectation that we should respect our neighbours more,” she said.
Harper raised the topic of amalgamation at the July 8 meeting of council. Upon reviewing similar community standards bylaws in Calgary, Sylvan Lake and Airdrie, Harper told fellow councillors she thought that Olds should consider such an ordinance.
At the council meeting, Harper brought up a property at the intersection of Highway 27 and 49 Avenue as an example of a site where enforcement of the town's unsightly premises bylaw is needed.
“I firmly believe that Shell Canada should be brought to task with regards to their property,” she said.
“I think we need to do what we can do to improve the town of Olds,” agreed Coun. Arvin Bull.
Coun. Wade Bearchell, who has often raised concerns in the past about recreational vehicles parked adjacent to homes on residential streets, said some community input should be part of the consultation process.
Norm McInnis, the town's chief administrative officer, said some of the town's bylaws don't give officials the ability to enforce standards that administration would like to see in the community. He said when the public behaviours bylaw was enacted in 2008, for example, a more encompassing bylaw taking into account unsightly premises and parking regulations was discussed at that time, but it was decided to go ahead with piecemeal policies.
“But we are running into more issues with parking and unsightly premises and speeding, so I think it's a good idea for us to do some research and determine the scope of a community standards bylaw and then coordinate some public engagement to make sure that we get what's in this bylaw correct and give our enforcement officers the tools they need to fulfill the expectations of council and the community,” he said.
