Re: Regional district cleaning up messy property bylaw.
I predict the review of the "messy property regional district bylaw" will be just that, only a "simple review."
At the very best, I see a six-month stalled review being ordered, with little to no substance and minor changes at the very least. Obviously it is very difficult to be optimistic, but realistically looking at the weak past performance of the regional district truly speaks volumes.
Incredibly the regional district proudly admits most derelict properties will not change in appearance - or at all. Further, the regional district admits they have been working with derelict property owners for several years with basically no results.
Allowing this recklessness to continue for "several years" is absolutely crazy and wildly irresponsible.
Why then would the regional district even pay a salary to a "bylaw enforcement officer?" This is a prime example of a disastrous shameful waste of taxpayer dollars. Despite the circumstances, I still very much believe "real change" can be achieved, however again as the facts and openly admitted quotes from the regional district have only shown radical incapability.
Quite easily the regional district has shown they have purposely designed this bylaw process to fail, admitting the bylaw is a quarter of a century old and is barely acted upon by a weak complaint-driven process.
Comfortable old habits (and or) common procedures appear to die hard within the walls of the regional district.
After witnessing so much neglect this bylaw has allowed, the regional district must implement an extreme bylaw restructure to fully eliminate the ever present bylaw failures.
However, if the regional district chooses the same route of poorly representing simple facts and past performance, this will absolutely guarantee this "bylaw review" amounting to nothing more than the squirrel chasing its tail.
Aaron K. Thompson
Prince George
