ATHABASCA — Athabasca residents may have new rules and regulations to abide by in the near future when it comes to property maintenance and public conduct, thanks to a draft bylaw that’s been years in the making.
Coun. Jon LeMessurier made the recommended motion to give first reading to the new community standards bylaw, which has been a priority for him since starting council, during the town’s regular Sept. 3 council meeting.
LeMessurier was prompted by fellow councillors to put his name beside the item as a stamp of his involvement in and passion for the proposed regulations.
“When I ran for council, one of the things I definitely wanted to see was businesses within our downtown core being brought back,” said LeMessurier in a Sept. 9 follow-up. “A lot of these businesses that looked derelict, with broken windows, I wanted to see that improved.”
He said the draft bylaw is a result of conversations started around the council table near the beginning of current council’s term and has involved lots of legwork by town administration.
First reading of the document passed with a vote of 5-0, with councillors Darlene Reimer and Dave Pacholok missing, and will be back for further review and readings in the weeks to come.
The bylaw, which is the first of its kind for the town, will replace five different pieces of legislation if passed: the noise bylaw, the nuisance, untidy and unsightly premises bylaw and amendments, and the public lands bylaw will be repealed, as well as the policy and procedure on noxious weed management.
The new community standards bylaw covers rules and penalties for unsightly properties, as well as boulevard and yard maintenance, and construction and renovation sites regulations.
Also included in the 19-page draft are sections on graffiti, noise control, and public behaviour; the latter prohibits panhandling, destroying vegetation, groups of three or more disturbing the peace, and bullying in public spaces.
LeMessurier said in addition to the unsightly properties section, regulations around lawn maintenance, boulevard and sidewalk care, and snow removal responsibilities will help keep the town in tip-top shape.
“They’re all important in trying to create a community we can all be proud of,” said LeMessurier. “We already have a beautiful town, but I think there’s always room for improvement.”
