ADMINISTRATIVE REPORT

Date: February 3, 1999

Author/Local:C. Robbins

RTS No. 00519

CC File No. 2701-1

TO: Vancouver City Council

FROM: City Building Inspector

SUBJECT: Nuisance Property - 1250 Rossland Avenue

RECOMMENDATION

A. THAT Council declare that the condition of the property at 1250 Rossland (Lot 5, Block 3, District Lot Sec. 23 S.E. 1 Qtr., THSL, Plan 4819) is a nuisance pursuant to Section 324A of the Vancouver Charter.

B. THAT Council approve the attached Resolution and order the Registered owner of the property to remove the two dismantled vehicles, and miscellaneous items and materials listed in Appendix A, from the site within 14 days of a copy of the resolution being served, pursuant to Section 324A of the Vancouver Charter.

C. THAT in the event of the failure of the owner to comply with the order of Council, Council further orders and hereby authorizes the City Building Inspector to have the two dismantled vehicles and miscellaneous items and materials listed in Appendix A removed at the expense of the owner.

GENERAL MANAGER'S COMMENTS

The General Manager of Community Services RECOMMENDS approval of A, B and C.

COUNCIL POLICY

Section 324A of the Vancouver Charter enables Council by resolution or By-law to declare any building or other matter or thing in or upon any private or public lands a nuisance or dangerous to the public safety or health and may by Resolution or By-law order that the same be removed by the owner, agent, lessee or occupier thereof.

BACKGROUND

Since 199l, the owner of this single family dwelling has been issued three building permits for the construction of a detached garage at the rear of this site. Construction of the garage has not progressed beyond the foundation stage and consequently, all three building permits have expired in succession. During this time frame, the owner has accumulated and stored a large amount of new and used building materials and other miscellaneous items at the rear of the site. These materials have not been protected from the elements and many of them are no longer salvageable. There are also two dismantled vehicles stored on site.

(Attached in Appendix A of this report, is a detailed list of all items on the site.)

Resulting from complaints from the neighbourhood with respect to the unsightly condition of the property, the City has issued several orders to the property owner requiring that the dismantled vehicles be removed and that the site be cleaned up. Charges have been laid on three occasions and on one occasion the City hired a private contractor to clean up the debris and discarded materials (exclusive of the building materials) from the site. To date, however, the site still remains in an unsightly condition.

A recent site inspection by the District Property Use Inspector and a private contractor revealed that of the wood materials on site, approximately 50% was salvageable. It was also noted that the trusses on site that have been exposed to the elements since Spring of 1998, would have to be inspected by a Structural Engineer to determine whether or not they were still useable.

Because of the foregoing, it is recommended that Council declare the condition of the property a nuisance and order the owner to remove the dismantled vehicles and materials listed in Appendix A of this report.

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(c) 1998 City of Vancouver