Mundare puts a hold on drainage bylaw passage

A proposed drainage bylaw in Mundare was hotly contested before ultimately being tabled to a future meeting.

“The by-law looks at properties which could cause damage to adjoining properties because or poor ground cover or changed drainage courses; and what fines could be applied. It also looked at methods of enforcement.

“For the fines we’re looking at possibly $100 or $200,” Chief Administrative Officer, Colin Zyla told council when the issue came up Jan. 21.

He said the town could issue a municipal tag and people would come in and pay the fines. Or, he added, a second method was a violation ticket which would move the matter to court.

“If we go in and clean up a property all those fees are charged back on taxes,” he told council.

Second offences, if charged, would be double the first fine amount.

Mayor Mike Saric told council it was weed-filled undeveloped and unsightly properties which spurred the bylaw.

“We need to have a mechanism for people to clean up there properties,” he said.

Councillor Jason Kowal asked if this applied to each individual lot.

“If there are more than 100 vacant lots could each one be fined under the bylaw?” he asked. “Because if that’s the case, I’m going to vote no on it.”

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Kowal has clay and natural grasses on the top of the properties and maintains them so they don’t cause drainage problems.

“I maintain my land and I know others that have weeds, but those are regularly cut,” he added. “Do they qualify as maintained lots?”

Mayor Saric said that was something they would have to determine.

“I don’t think anybody expects a manicured lawn, but they also don’t want bare dirt,” he said. “You have some people who spray their lots and kill everything in sight and then it rains and the dirt washes away causing drainage issues.”

Zyla said he’d take the concerns back to the town’s lawyers to get more interpretations.

Kowal asked if there were timelines attached to the bylaw.

“It doesn’t matter if its been undeveloped for years prior,” said Zyla. “It’s from when the bylaw gets passed then the timeframe kicks in.”

Saric said he didn’t understand the bylaw to mean someone had to build something, but rather maintain the property with some sort of ground cover to prevent drainage issues.

“What we’re looking for out of this is some sort of vegetation cover to keep erosion and dust down,” said Saric. “We’re not looking for people to build a home or completely landscape the property.”

Read THE FULL STORY below in the full February 5 edition of The Lamont Leader!

-John Mather