City council is cracking down on more dilapidated properties in Charlottetown.
Council unanimously passed resolutions at its public meeting Monday, authorizing the manager of public works to move in and clean up three different locations.
The properties are located at 31 Kirkwood Drive, 46/48 Longworth Avenue and 17 Granville Street.
This comes after public works moved in and dealt with the property at 10 York Lane a month ago after years of issues at the location.
Coun. David MacDonald, chair of protective and emergency services, moved the resolutions and told The Guardian later that two of the three properties are vacant.
"Essentially, (we'll be) going in there and take care of something that hasn't been maintained because there's nobody around to look after them,'' MacDonald said.
The most prominent of the properties is the home on Kirkwood Drive, located at the corner of Kirkwood and Queen Street.
Public works will be cutting the grass, removing any fallen trees and subsequent undergrowth that would lead to the existence of animal life. The department will also be dealing with any vehicles that display an expired inspection sticker, thus being considered a derelict vehicle.
As for the house itself, public works will repair or replace shingles at the residence and accessory building, repair or replace the roof and eaves, paint entire structures and any other repairs deemed necessary by a city building inspector. Things like debris and other materials will also be cleaned up and disposed of.
And, it will all come at the expense of the homeowner. When the homeowner can't or won't pay, the city can place a lien on the property and get the money back on resale.
MacDonald said the Kirkwood Drive property has been a concern for quite some time.
"We had previous bylaw officers go there but, at the time, the owner was saying (the layout of the property) was an alternative means of landscaping, that the grasses planted were exotic grasses and that they were being well maintained. They just weren't being maintained the same as the norm around the area.''
MacDonald said the city is reluctant to move in too quickly unless safety, for example, becomes an issue. The city doesn't want to force a homeowner into unnecessary expenses just because neighbours call 'taste' of the property into question.
"I believe lately there was a question there that the property just wasn't being maintained, even in an exotic way. It was simply being neglected.''
In the case of the properties on Granville Street and Longworth Avenue, public works will be looking at repairs required with the eaves, shingles, windows and siding, as well as any debris.
MacDonald said there is a tipping point when it comes to when the city will step in on a dilapidated property.
"The tipping point is probably two things when everybody in the neighbourhood starts complaining about it and we've got to do something or when it becomes apparent to staff that there's a safety issue.''
So you think her neighbors should spend twenty years maintaining her whole property including the trees, because she won't move into a place she can handle? That's a bit much to ask. I feel bad for the lady of course, but this isn't a matter of a barn-raising or other one-time assist. Nobody should be crapped on because they can't take on someone else's whole property for the forseeable future.