A resolution to help make fines stick when issued in electoral areas is going to the Columbia Shuswap Regional District (CSRD) board for consideration.
On the agenda for the July 15 CSRD board meeting is a written request from North Shuswap director Jay Simpson to discuss provincial collection of bylaw fines with property taxes.
Simpson explains the regional district’s ability to enforce the payment of fines for bylaw infractions is limited, and asks that the board consider a resolution to the Union of B.C. Municipalities (UBCM), asking the province to allow collection of these fines via property taxes.
“There is growing frustration in our communities regarding people who flagrantly disregard bylaw requirements,” writes Simpson. “If caught, these people do not attempt to comply with the bylaws, but disregard notices, are abusive to our bylaw enforcement officers and, if fined, fail to pay the fines.
Read more: CSRD offering FireSmart assessments, developing community wildfire plans
Read more: CSRD backs logging moratorium near Bastion Creek
“They recognize that our ability to force them to pay the fines or comply with bylaws is limited and ultimately expensive, should we make the decision to take them to court.”
Simpson adds incorporated municipalities have the ability to add municipal fines to their tax notices, and collect them that way. Electoral areas, he says, do not.
In a proposed resolution to UBCM, Simpson says giving unincorporated areas the ability to add outstanding fines to property tax files of provincial property owners would encourage adherence to bylaws and payment of fines.
The public portion of the July 15 CSRD board meeting begins at 10 a.m., and can be viewed online at csrd.bc.ca.
lachlan@saobserver.net
Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter
Sign up for our newsletter to get Salmon Arm stories in your inbox every morning.