Vauxhall council reviews nuisance bylaw

By Nikki Jamieson
Vauxhall Advance
njamieson@tabertimes.com

Parking can be a nuisance — that’s why it’s included under Vauxhall’s Nuisance Bylaw.

During their regular Oct. 17 meeting, Vauxhall council reviewed a copy of an edited edition of Bylaw 908-16, or the Nuisance Bylaw.

They had previously viewed the bylaw at their Oct. 3 meeting, but asked for so many edits, administration took it back to review and it never received any readings.

The bylaw will replace and repeal the town’s current Nuisance Bylaw — Bylaw 856-11 — which came into force in September 2011.

One item in the bylaw brought up was Sect. 14, regarding vehicles, in particular, storing vehicles.

Vauxhall Mayor Margaret Plumtree questioned how many vehicles a homeowner could have if they couldn’t store them in either their garage or backyard.

Under the bylaw, one unregistered vehicle was allowed out in the open.

“That’s only if it’s unregistered,” said Cris Burns, CAO for Vauxhall. “You can have 20 vehicles registered and insured, and it’s considered legal. If you’re still holding a minimum insurance policy, it is still covered.”

“Your plate will be on it, but it won’t be registered. This just says plate — it doesn’t say registered vehicle, it says plate and insured.”

“As long as you got some kind of (insurance),” said Martin Kondor, Vauxhall councillor. “Because then you’re going to get somebody that wants to do a wrecking yard, a car demolition thing in their backyard, and have 50 parked vehicles scattered everywhere.”

As long as the vehicle in question has insurance and a license plate — you need to get the former before you can get the latter — you are clear under the bylaw.

“It’s real easy to see if there’s a license plate on there with a sticker,” said Richard Phillips, Vauxhall councillor. “It’s real hard to go to the door and say, ‘I’d like to see your pink slip please’. The serious one is the licence plate — it’s the one that should be specified. That’s all you would need to specify, is that it needs a valid license plate.”

Off-street parking and loading areas are currently specified under the town’s Land-Use Bylaw, under Sect. B. This section of the Nuisance Bylaw specifies parking on your property only.

Council performed first and second reading of the bylaw.

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