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Ultrafast speed Powerful Wi-Fi Flexible TV Local customer service Visit cogeco.ca/all infested with pests, they can at- tract trespassers, they can be- come a target for criminal activ- ity and they can deteriorate over- all community standards," said town enforcement services su- pervisor John Mattocks in a re- port to the committee. "In 2017 we received 127 com- plaints that described a property as vacant. "In 2018 we had 123 complaints and so far in 2019 we have had 122 complaints that describe a prop- erty as vacant." During a June 10 council meet- ing, councillors heard from a woman who said that a construc- tion company was using a vacant residence neighbouring her home as a staging area. She said the workers leave building materials and garbage on the property, and do nothing to maintain it. The woman submitted photos showing grass nearly as high as the fence and said this has result- ed in a rodent problem, which has spread to her home. Mattocks noted that currently the fees and penalties for a vacant property owner, who violates the town's bylaws, are the same for each violation, no matter how many violations the individual has. That penalty is $300; however, there can also be a $100 cost re- covery fee, $755 cleanup cost and $50 administration fee. Under the escalation pro- posed, the fees previously men- tioned would only represent what the owner would be charged for a first offence. For a second violation, the owner would face a $400 penalty, $250 cost recovery fee, $755 clean- up cost and $50 administration fee. For a third violation and every subsequent violation, the costs would increase to a $500 penalty, $500 cost recovery fee, $755 clean- up cost and $50 administration fee. "It is our hope that the absent or nuisance property owners won't be able to afford almost $2,000 per visit from the town," said Mattocks. "We hope that does encourage them to maintain their property." Under the proposed plan, Mat- tocks said as a final step, town staff could summon the violator to court. He said that doing so could result in the property owner be- ing slapped with fees as high as $25,000 if a pattern of noncom- pliance, in the face of the town's enforcement efforts, can be shown. Mattocks said these fees would not apply to partially-built structures where construction appears to have stalled. He said that as long as the owner has a valid building per- mit and something is done at the property within a year of that building permit being issued, they are not in violation of the by- laws. That said, regulations for things like trimming long grass must still be adhered to. If the escalating fees are ap- proved at Oakville council on Monday, Sept. 23 they will be ef- fective immediately. News that the town will be coming down harder on property owners who fail to maintain their vacant properties was well-re- ceived by Diana Gurd-Trask, president of the West Harbour Residents Association. "We have a few properties that have been an issue for us. We like that they are finally putting in place a program that has escalat- ing fines. I like that there only three different levels, almost like three strikes and you are out and you're at the top, and every visit after that you will be fined the maximum amount," said Gurd- Trask. "I think the property owners that are being delinquent and are not following our rules might de- cide it might be time to either sell their properties or do as they're told." NEWS Continued from page 3 PENALTIES WILL NOW INCREASE WITH EACH INFRACTION THE ISSUE: SOME OWNERS OF VACANT PROPERTIES IN OAKVILLE ARE NOT MAINTAINING THESE PROPERTIES LOCAL IMPACT: RESIDENTS NEIGHBOURING THESE VACANT PROPERTIES WANT SOMETHING DONE BECAUSE THEY SAY THESE PROPERTIES BECOME UNSIGHTLY, CAN BECOME INFESTED WITH PESTS, CAN ATTRACT TRESPASSERS AND CAN DETERIORATE OVERALL COMMUNITY STANDARDS STORY BEHIND THE STORY We attended a Community Services Committee meeting where a possible solution to the vacant property issue was considered. We also spoke with a residents' association leader afterwards to get her take on the decision.