The Town of Hanna council gave the green light to a community standards bylaw proposal. The proposal for such a bylaw was presented at the Feb. 25 information meeting of council.

The Town of Hanna council gave the green light to a community standards bylaw proposal. The proposal for such a bylaw was presented at the Feb. 25 information meeting of council.

Readers should note information meetings, also called committee of the whole (COW) meetings in other communities, are usually for information purposes only, with any resolutions scheduled for the next regular meeting.

Bylaw Officer Skye Suntjens presented councillors with a proposal for a community standards bylaw. “The purpose of a community standards bylaw is to establish distinct, enforceable expectations for behaviour and property conditions so that a community can remain a safe, beautiful, livable place,” stated Suntjens in her report to council.

She noted that community standards bylaws are employed by other communities and are often tailored to meet that community’s character.

She noted some areas addressed by existing bylaws in other communities include property maintenance/unsightly premises, accumulation of materials, maintenance of construction sites, grass and weed maintenance, dead or overhanging branches, graffiti removal, unsightly buildings and structures, derelict vehicles on private property, snow and ice removal, nuisances including noise, odours, smoke, dust and pests.

Some bylaws also contained sections on public behaviour and waste storage/overflowing bins.

One area that Suntjens said had been suggested to her was lights shining into neighbouring property.

Suntjens suggested the Hanna bylaw include property management/unsightly premises, snow/ice removal and nuisances (noise, dust, smoke, pests and neighbouring lights).

The bylaw officer noted a community standards bylaw, if adopted, would replace the unsightly premises and snow removal bylaws and incorporate parts of other bylaws, including noise control.

Coun. Paul Hunter observed that Suntjens advised having a bylaw in place that explains to the public that community standards aren’t made up on the spot. He asked if Suntjens looked at existing bylaws in other communities.

The bylaw officer answered yes, including the towns of Rocky Mountain House, Sundre, Penhold, Grimshaw, Fairview and Athabasca. Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Matthew Norburn noted these communities are all roughly the same size as Hanna.

Coun. Angie Warwick stated she had a concern. “So if my property has ice in front of it and your property does, are you going to enforce it at every level for everybody?” she asked, to which Suntjens replied, “Yes.”

Councillors discussed options to help the public comply with the bylaw; for example, a public sand receptacle for people who don’t have material to sand their icy sidewalks. The CAO observed some communities do provide services like this.

Norburn also pointed out that when it comes to enforcing bylaws, the Town of Hanna’s bark is worse than its bite.

Coun. Vern Thuroo asked about the “lights shining onto neighbour’s property” section. Suntjens responded she heard a complaint about Christmas lights shining into a neighbour’s house and interfering with sleep. Currently, Hanna’s bylaws don’t contain anything that would allow a bylaw officer to address that.

Coun. Erica Rorabeck stated she liked the proposed bylaw. “I think this is all very reasonable,” said Rorabeck.

Councillors gave Suntjens the green light to write a draft community standards bylaw and return with it to a future council meeting.