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erV J v| > If J I l:'y wW S1-14 jy 1, Pi ft dll 4-^1 hJi IV J 1.7 1 44 I a Z"/ / w \ e* Z .1 satis \ :t l ' > > Z Z'Z V V 1 4ti emr. *1 Wednesday, April 15, 1998 if COMMUNITY CALENDAR • LIFESTYLES • SPORTS • COMMUNITY CORRESPONDENCE • TV LISTINGS Who You Gonna Call? by Lorraine Manfredo Staff Writer ■ ■ , |ïmasi | 1C jyg |]ext (] 00 j- h as b ccn bark ing since midnight, The teenagers in the apartment downstairs have the stereo blaring. blaring. And, to lop it off, your landlord still hasn't fixed that leak over your bed, and it's raining. You're furious. Who arc you gonna call? Well, you won't need a pocket full of quarters. Most of your heroes arc in one building -- right here in Clarington at the town hall. It's the job of the Bylaw Department to enforce all local laws, which deal with everything from exotic exotic animal restrictions to zoning do's and dont's. The most commonly consulted 50 or so by-laws fill three big binders, and that's just a fraction of the legal paperwork paperwork spilling off the department shelves. "The majority of our time is spent handling property standards complaints," complaints," says senior by-law enforcement enforcement officer, Lcn Creamer. Cases Increasing And the number of cases is increasing, increasing, lie notes. They hear from tenants who live in dangerously run-down premises, and from folks fuming over a neighbor with a heap of derelict cars in his yard. Or from folks who have all kinds of other land use grievances. "We can't offer instant resolutions," resolutions," Creamer cautions. By-law offi- IDENTIFICATION TAGS ARE A MUST -- Heaven forbid, your precious pooch should ever get loose and chase a squirrel or cat -- or track some irresistible scent ccrs need time to investigate the charges, contact the person in violation of the by-law, and give them a fair opportunity to rectify the situation. Limited staff means there's always a backlog. "We're looking at a few months from the time we get the first complaint complaint to the time we get something done." But it is their job to take the case to its conclusion. If they have to, they will enforce a municipal bylaw in spite of resistance from offenders. "In extreme cases the town will arrange necessary repairs to a building and add the cost to the owners' tax bill." This was the route the town took recently in the case of a building on King street Bowmanville, and a few years back a vacant motel at Courtice an Centerfield Dr. was torn down on order by the town. Another last resort remedy is taking the offender to court, says Creamer. "We're in court on a regular basis; we usually have four or five charges on the go." Delays aren't the only frustration. frustration. Very often, citizens making a complaint are reluctant to give their names. Before bylaw department staff act, they need the complaint in writing with a name. In the world of by-laws, certain behavior is only considered an infraction if someone is bothered by it, "We can't act on anonymous complaints," complaints," Creamer says. That doesn't mean law-breakers law-breakers are necessarily going to know, who blew'lhe whistle, he points out. . Names are kept in strict confidence confidence unless the case winds up in court. Violators who try to pry a name out of the town's officers will find them tight-lipped. "They'll ask: 'Why are you picking on me? The guy down the street is doing the same thing.' But bylaw enforcement is strictly reactive. It's enforced on a complaint complaint basis only." And it's been Creamer's experience experience that a complainant is rarely a solitary crank up in arms. "Many come forward as a spokesperson for a group of people people who decide, as they're talking over the back fence, that 'someone 'someone ought to do something'." If the complaint is something a bylaw officer can verify in person, person, such as heaps of disabled cars where they shouldn't be, the case likely won't need a witness. But in the case of late night, wild parties, officers will need a witness witness to testify with dates, times, can resolve disputes between themselves, Creamer notes. He understands that is not always easy, since there is often a very real threat of violence. If you do plan to approach a neighbor with a complaint, he offers this suggestion: buttonhole the person close to the time of the incident, but not during. For instance, if you see them the next day, talk to them then. Don't come at them aggressively or confrontational, but as reasonable as possible, possible, simply tell them what they're doing is affecting you. If the problem continues, the by-law department is there to help, hopefully with a mutually agreeable solution. Barking Dogs A lot of residents (even animal-lovers) are driven to distraction distraction by other folks' pets. Those adorable dogs, cats, and exotics all have potential to annoy the nicest neighbors. FAIR WARNING -- Those parking officers you see strolling the main drag have hearts. Since January, the municipal bylaw department has begun issuing warning tags at recently expired meters, giving downtown shop- When they do, it's pers a chance to avoid a parking fine. A map on the flip Sheila Elkington or" side of the warning tag shows visitors where they can park for longer than the downtown's two hour limit. Parking on King Street is still free Friday nights and on weekends. beyond his familiar surroundings. Remember, dogs can't talk. Without a proper ID tag " nü uurat i? n 01 on his collar, no one will be able to return him to you. Collar tags arc a good idea for v " avv officers cats loo. and duration of noise, because the : aren't going out to the scene at 3 a.m. Of course, it's good if people □ Take up the issue with your neighbour close to the time of the incident, but not during. For instance, talk to them the next day. □ Avoid being aggressive or confrontational. Simply explain how something they're doing is affecting you. □ If you're planning a large party, talk it over with your neighbour first. They may not be as upset over noise next door if they're psychologically prepared. □ Think how any action you undertake may affect your neighbour. □ Control your pets. Many by-law complaints arc over stray or nuisance animals, Buy a dog tag, use a leash, and clean up after your dogs and cats. □ If you can't resolve a complaint, seek some kind of mediation by consulting the by-law office or police. They'll try to work out a win-win solution. □ Communication and co-operation arc the key to solving solving disputes. HAWKERS AND PEDDLERS -- Come May, sidewalk sidewalk vendors spring up all over Clarington. They'll be peddling flowers for Mother's Day and fireworks for the long weekend. Senior Bylaw Enforcement Officer Len Creamer brushes up on the town's "Hawkers and ■Peddlers" by-laws well in advance. Officers will be out checking to make sure street vendors have proper permits, An annual permit is "very reasonably" priced at $240, Creamer notes, It's designed to be fair to area merchants who pay taxes year-round and still allow legitimate vendors enough room to make a living too, ISilC tAi The Durham Regional Police office has approached municipal bylaw staff with the idea of setting up a Centre for Conflict Resolution in Clarington, In this program, trained mediator volunteers would attempt to work out solutions to minor disputes between citizens, To date, the concept is still in the discussion stage, Watch this newspaper newspaper for further details. one of her colleagues at the Clarington Animal Shelter who gets the case. "Probably 60% of the calls we get are about dogs at large," she says. If the complainant knows the address where the dog lives, and if the animal is licenced with the town, Animal Control can check their records and phone the owner to tell them their dog is loose. "A lot of the time they are unaware," Elkington says. "Sometimes the parents have told the kids to walk the dog but they just open the door and let it out." If the dog is not licenced with the town however, animal control may make a house call to where they believe the dog lives. Or they will pick the animal up if they believe it's a stray. Owners who fail to get identification identification tags for their dog's collar make it very difficult for Animal Control to return the animal. The dog often has to be put up in the shelter overnight. It creates needless stress for dog and rightful owner. Dog owners who don't obey poop- and-scôop laws are another source of annoyance at this time of year. "After the spring thaw, neighbors are finding out thé dog who lives nearby nearby has been coming over a lot more often than they thought," observes Elkington. "The municipal bylaw states that the owner must clean up after their dogs in an immediate and sanitary manner." And it's not just dogs. Animal control control officers hear complaints too about cats soiling gardens and children's sandboxes. If she could have one wish, Elkington would wish people would adopt "a more neighborly attitude." By that she means people should basically think through how what they do affects others, Dog owners who let their dogs bark too much arc another headache. But again, Elkington has found their owners arc frequently unaware of the problem. Perhaps they arc at work and the animal barks out of loneliness, she says. A bit of training and discipline can improve the situation, she says, or sim ply moving the dog to another corner of the yard "so it's not right under the shift-worker's bedroom window." Neighbors can try sorting things out face-to-face. Elkington understands that is not so easy. The comfortable social interaction! interaction! we used to have with our neighbors neighbors is often lacking, she says'. "Sometimes people arc afraid to start a war. They don't want to offend anyone." However, a request doesn't have to be confrontational, she says. "Simply ask them: 'Were you aware your dog woke us up last night? It barked for over an hour. Is there something something you can do?' Most people are. reasonable." Animal Control is there to help the animals and help keep the peace. Police Involvement While excessive noise is a municipal municipal offence, the police may get involved if it's after hours or if there is threat of violence. Mostly it's noisy parties - especially especially in the summer when people's windows windows are open. Staff Sergeant Ted Dionne of the Durham Regional Police #16 division in Clarington has this advice: "If people arc going to have a party -- and I'm talking adults -- they should inform their neighbors. People arc better able to accept it then. Psychologically, they prepare themselves themselves for a bit of noise and it doesn't bother them as much." Generally, noise complaints are given a C or D priority on a scale of police emergencies. Only in the case of an oul-of-control party where there is suspected criminal activity or potential for property damage or injury will the call be assigned a higher priority by the communications dispatch. For instance, a cruiser might he sent directly to an out of hand "PWP," other wise known as a 'Party Without Parents'. And often it's the overwhelmed teenage host himself who calls for help, the sergeant says. "What happens is they invite their friends and expect maybe 20 or 30 Continued on page 10 'We're in court on a regular basis; we usually have four or five charges on the go. " •sV-UMDMJ « v... ,.-i æeeewvtvv.;/, ■■■■eayjuwi^aArs