Unsightly premises is a tough issue with more complaints everyday of yards and lots not kept to community standards.

But the – HOW TO  – get it fix was a bit insensitive and that will change says Town of Oliver Corporate Officer Cathy Cowan.

Someone had complained about a yard around at home (seen above) at 811 Fairview Rd at the Spartan Street intersection. A letter from the Town was sent suggesting a cleanup be done or the Town would do it for the owner.

The mistake – no human contact first. That will change.

A by-law officer will now have to speak with a resident or owner in person prior to  any stern warning letters. That same letter (authorized by a by-law) will however go to owners of lots where no home is occupied or it is an empty lot.

Chris Blazicevic, owner of the property had complained he was being picked on despite the fact that the Town land nearby was not being dealt with in the same fashion.

This is part of a response to that counter-complaint by Shawn Goodsell, PW Superintendent.

“In 2013 we budgeted $23,000 for labour and materials in controlling weeds, road boulevards, Town properties & other areas. We have already used up this budget and will obviously go over this year in trying to combat the problems that seem to be spreading more and more each year. We recently had a summer student working for the Okanagan & Similkameen Invasive Species Society, dedicate a full day of their time picking puncture vine along the canal right of way behind your property and he picked 6 full garbage bags and we disposed of them.

I agree we need to do some more control and weed spraying in the lot across from the School which is on the list and periodically done. We have many different areas that we try to maintain and sometimes may be left longer than others because we are continuously shifting priorities during the busy Spring and Summer months. We do talk about some of the problem areas and the fact that we are getting further and further behind and that we may have to consider putting more resources to controlling weeds, especially puncture vine.”