A pair of problem properties are slated for demolition pending council approval.
On Monday night, city council will be asked to authorize action against homes on Pearson Avenue and Old Cariboo Highway - both of which are not complying with the city's property maintenance bylaw.
The property at 1321 Pearson Ave. has issues stemming back more than eight years, beginning with a May 2005 fire that damaged a significant portion of the building's basement.
Since then, the RCMP have made frequent visits to the site to deal with young people playing in the vacant house, squatters and a bevy of bylaw complaints.
"Staff involvement with the property primarily revolved around overgrowth," said a report by public safety director Rob Whitwham. "In the past two years the additional issues of the building being open, unsecure and accessed by transients have arisen."
According to the city, neither the mortgage holder or the property owner - Dennis Zalucki - have taken any actions to resolve the issues.
Staff are recommending shortening the typical minimum 30-day time limit for property owner notification and compliance because of the regular access by squatters and due to the fire risk posed to adjacent properties.
A trailer located at 1626 Old Cariboo Highway is also pinpointed for demolition after complaints began coming in to city hall in April. Conversations with property owner Erich Gremaud became verbally abusive, according to a city report and orders to remove the trailer - which is sporting obscene graffiti - have been ignored.
In both cases, any costs associated with remediation work by the city will be charged back to the property owner, and if unpaid would be added to property taxes.
