Nuisance Abatement Bylaw 1171-P-25

Unity, Saskatchewan

This is the exact embedded text of the captured official document. Snapshot 9ec7a4692e37 · verified 2026-06-13 · original document · archived snapshot · unofficial consolidation, the official version is held by the municipal clerk.

Page 1 of 5 TOWN OF UNITY BYLAW NUMBER 1171-P-25 A Bylaw to provide for the Abatement of Nuisances within the Town of Unity. THE COUNCIL FOR THE TOWN OF UNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF SASKATCHEWAN ENACTS AS FOLLOWS: Short Title 1. This Bylaw may be cited as The Nuisance Abatement Bylaw. Purpose 2. The purpose of this Bylaw is to provide for the abatement of nuisances, including property, activities, or things that adversely affect: a) The safety, health or welfare of people in the neighbourhood. b) People's use and enjoyment of their property; or c) The amenity of a neighbourhood. Definitions 3. In this Bylaw: a) "Designated Officer" means an employee or agent of the Municipality appointed by Council to act as a municipal inspector for the purposes of this Bylaw; b) "Building" means a building within the meaning of The Municipalities Act; c) "Municipality" means the Town of Unity; d) "Council" means the Council of the Town of Unity; e) "Junked vehicle" means any automobile, tractor, truck, trailer or other vehicle that i. Either: (1) Has no valid license plates attached to it; or (2) Is in a rusted, wrecked, partly wrecked, dismantled, partly dismantled, inoperative or abandoned condition; and ii is located on private land, but that: (1) Is not within a structure erected in accordance with any Bylaw respecting the erection of buildings and structures in force within the Municipality; and (2) Does not form a part of a business enterprise lawfully being operated on that land. Page 2 of 5 f) "Nuisance" means a condition of property, or a thing, or an activity, that adversely affects or may adversely affect: i. The safety, health, or welfare of people in the neighbourhood; ii. People's use and enjoyment of their property; or iii. The amenity of a neighbourhood And includes: iv. A building in a ruinous or dilapidated state of repair; v. An unoccupied building that is damaged and is an imminent danger to public safety; vi. Land that is overgrown with grass and weeds; vii. Untidy and unsightly property; viii. Junked vehicles; and ix. Open excavations on property; g) "Occupant" means an occupant as defined in The Municipalities Act. h) "Owner" means an owner as defined in The Municipalities Act; i) "Property" means land or buildings or both; j) "Structure" means anything erected or constructed, the use of which requires temporary or permanent location on, or support of, the soil, or attached to something having permanent location on the ground or soil; but not including pavements, curbs, walks or open air surfaced areas. Responsibility 4. Unless other specified, the owner of a property, including land, buildings, and structures, shall be responsible for carrying out the provisions of this Bylaw. Nuisances Prohibited Generally 5. No person shall cause or permit a nuisance to occur on any property owned by that person. Dilapidated Buildings 6. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no person shall cause or permit a building or structure to deteriorate into a ruinous or dilapidated state such that the building or structure: a) Is dangerous to the public health and safety. b) Substantially depreciates the value of other land or improvements in the neighbourhood; or c) Is substantially detrimental to the amenities of the neighbourhood. Unoccupied Buildings 7. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no person shall cause or permit an unoccupied building to be damaged or to deteriorate into a state of disrepair such that the building is an imminent danger to public safety. Overgrown Grass and Weeds 8. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no owner or occupant of land shall cause or permit the land to be overgrown with grass or weeds. 9. For the purposes of this section, "overgrown" means in excess of 0.20 metres in height. 10. This section shall not apply to any growth which forms part of a natural garden that has been deliberately planted to produce ground cover, including one or more species of wildflowers, shrubs, perennials, grasses or combinations of them, whether native or non-native, consistent with a managed and natural landscape other than regularly mown grass. Page 3 of 5 11. No owner or occupant of land shall cause or permit any adjoining boulevards or lanes to be overgrown with grass or weeds. a) No owner or occupant of any property shall allow their trees or shrubs or hedges to overhang or protrude into the alleys. All trees or shrubs or hedges must be trimmed to the edge of the property line to a minimum height of 4.5 metres (14.76 feet) to allow free and clear passage through the alley. The Town of Unity has not planted any trees or shrubs or hedges in or along alleys. Therefore, all trees or shrubs or hedges are deemed to be the responsibility of the adjacent property owner or occupant. b) Any tree branches or shrubs or hedges that overhang or protrude into the street are to be trimmed to the edge of the street at a minimum height of 4.5 metres (14.76 feet) from the ground up. c) It is the property owners or occupants' responsibility to ensure all tree branches or shrubs, or hedges are trimmed away from Town of Unity signs located on adjacent property. d) All gardens will be maintained in a clean and upkept state as to not appear untidy and unsightly. Untidy and Unsightly Property 12. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no person shall cause or permit any land or buildings to become untidy and unsightly. Junked Vehicles 13. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no person shall cause or permit any junked vehicle to be kept on any land owned by that person. 14. Not withstanding the generality of Section 5, one unlicensed vehicle may be parked or stored on any land owned by that person. Said unlicensed vehicle must have a corresponding plate attached and must be in a drivable state. Open Excavations 15. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no person shall cause or permit any basement, excavation, drain, ditch, watercourse, pond, surface water, swimming pool or other structure to exist in or on any land or in or about any building or structure which is dangerous to the public safety or health. Maintenance of Yards 16. Notwithstanding the generality of Section 5, no person shall cause or permit on any property owned by that person: a. An infestation of rodents, vermin or insects: b. Any dead or hazardous trees; or c. Any sharp or dangerous objects. Outdoor Storage of Materials 17. Any building materials, lumber, scrap metal, boxes or similar items stored in a yard shall be neatly stacked in piles and elevated off the ground so as not to constitute a nuisance or harbourage for rodents, vermin and insects. Refrigerators and Freezers 18. Any refrigerator or freezer left in a yard shall first have its hinges, latches, lid, door or doors removed. Page 4 of 5 Fences 19. Fences shall be maintained in a safe and reasonable state of repair. Enforcement of Bylaw 20. The administration and enforcement of this Bylaw is hereby delegated to the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the Town of Unity. 21. The CAO is hereby authorized to further delegate the administration and enforcement of this Bylaw to any of the following persons or positions as the CAO considers appropriate: a. a Bylaw Enforcement Officer b. any other municipal employee, agent or contractor designated by the CAO. Inspections 22. The inspection of property by the Municipality to determine if this Bylaw is being complied with is hereby authorized. 23. Inspections under this Bylaw shall be carried out in accordance with Section 362 of The Municipalities Act. 24. No person shall obstruct a Designated Officer who is authorized to conduct an inspection under this section, or a person who is assisting a Designated Officer. 25. An inspection of a property may be conducted after "reasonable efforts" have been made to contact the property owner. Order to Remedy Contraventions 26. If a Designated Officer finds that a person is contravening this Bylaw, the Designated Officer may, by written order, require the owner or occupant of the property to which the contravention relates to remedy the contravention. 27. Orders given under this Bylaw shall comply with Section 364 of The Municipalities Act. 28. Orders given under Bylaw shall be served in accordance with Section 390(1)(a), (b), (c) or (d) of The Municipalities Act. Registration of Notice of Order 29. If an order is issued pursuant to Section 26, the Municipality may, in accordance with section 364 of The Municipalities Act, give notice of the existence of the order by registering an interest against the title to the land that is the subject of the order. Appeal of Order to Remedy 30. A person may appeal an order made pursuant to Section 26 in accordance with Section 364 of The Municipalities Act. Municipality Remedying Contraventions 31. The Municipality may, in accordance with Section 366 of The Municipalities Act, take whatever actions or measures are necessary to remedy a contravention of this Bylaw. 32. In an emergency, the Municipality may take whatever actions or measures are necessary to eliminate the emergency in accordance with the provisions of Section 367 of The Municipalities Act. Page 5 of 5 Recovery of Unpaid Expenses and Costs 33. Any unpaid expenses and costs incurred by the Municipality in remedying a contravention of this Bylaw may be recovered either: a. By civil action for debt in a court of competent jurisdiction in accordance with Section 368 of The Municipalities Act; or b. By adding the amount to the taxes on the property on which the work is done in accordance with Section 369 of The Municipalities Act. Offences and Penalties 34. No person shall: a. Fail to comply with an order made pursuant to this Bylaw; b. Obstruct or interfere with any Designated Officer or any other person acting under the authority of this Bylaw; or c. Fail to comply with any other provision of this Bylaw. 35. A Designated Officer who has reasonable grounds to believe that a person has contravened any provision of this Bylaw may serve on that person a Notice of Violation. a. The Notice of Violation shall indicate that the Municipality will accept voluntary payment in the amount of $250.00, if paid to the Municipality within fifteen (15) days from the date of service of the Notice. b. Voluntary payment made in accordance with this section shall be accepted as full satisfaction of the violation described in the Notice. 36. Where the Municipality receives voluntary payment of the amount prescribed under Section 35 within the time specified, the person receiving the Notice of Violation shall not be liable to prosecution for the alleged contravention. 37. Payment of any Notice of Violation does not exempt the person from enforcement of an order pursuant to Section 26 of this Bylaw. 38. Every person who contravenes any provision of Section 34 is guilty of an offence and liable on summary conviction: a. In the case of an individual, to a fine of $1000. b. In the case of a corporation, to a fine of $5,000; and c. In the case of a continuing offence, to a daily fine of $250 per day. Coming Into Force 39. Bylaw 1095-P-20 is hereby repealed. Bylaw 1131-P-22 is hereby repealed. 40. This Bylaw shall come into force on the 31st day of December 2025. MAYOR CAO