Submitted by Bob Bott for the Grounds Committee
Enforcement of Grounds Policies
Members of the co-op are expected to follow the policies in their binders. That’s what they agreed when they joined. There used to be a more prescriptive grounds policy, which even specified the height of grass. The policy was revised in 2005 after considerable discussion and approved by members at a general meeting. There have been many reminders about the policy provisions in newsletters since then, but a significant number of yards continued to have unmowed grass, weeds, junk, and/or dog feces contrary to the policy.
We received complaints in the spring about certain yards and decided further action was needed (as provided in the policy). In order to be fair, we did a walk-around and identified all the instances of non-compliance. Many of these were minor, and some stemmed from ignorance (e.g., not knowing how to identify noxious weeds). We wrote notices for all the non-compliant units and gave them time to address the problems. We helped a number of units find solutions to their issues. Some of the co-op youth got mowing jobs. Members of the committee did a lot of weeding, and provided weed instruction to members, during our walk-arounds. In the end, no unit had to pay for an outside contractor to do the work, and the yards have never looked better.
At the time of the notices, only one member suggested that we were being a little too harsh in our tone and approach. On the contrary, many members thanked us for the “wake-up call.”
It was only much later that we heard complaints about the committee’s “mean” and “un-neighbourly” actions. These concerns seem to have arisen after we tried to deal with a related issue: the large number of personal items being left in the common area—toys, dishes, clothes, etc. These items are not only unsightly and sometimes safety hazards, they also interfere with the ability of our contractors to work on the site and add to the costs of maintenance. We have received complaints from both members and the contractor about the amount of “stuff” left in the common area.
Some members took offence when we suggested collecting the left items and putting them in the dumpster. We would welcome suggestions for alternatives. Would it work to have some sort of enclosure where items could be placed when not in use?
If members object to the grounds policy itself, they are welcome to propose amendments and bring them forward at a general meeting. Otherwise, we intend to continue carrying out the existing policy in a way that is both neighbourly and effective.
We expect that this issue will be discussed at the Nov. 5 general meeting. In preparation, we suggest members review the grounds policy. Some members may also want to look at the co-op’s pet and wildlife policies.
City By-laws
The City of Calgary also has by-laws relating to property issues. One reason we had to take action last summer was a serious infestation of creeping bellflower, a noxious weed, which would have resulted in by-law enforcement action. Other by-laws deal with matters such as pets, wildlife, and yards. For example, the yard by-law states:
Loose garbage, yard waste, bottles, cans, boxes, household furniture, packaging materials, parts of machinery, equipment, appliances, and automobile parts must be stored so that they are not visible from outside of the property.
Accumulation of offensive material is prohibited. This includes animal remains, animal feces, and materials that create unpleasant odours or are likely to attract pests.
According to the Responsible Pet Ownership By-law, cat owners must ensure their cats:
Have a City of Calgary licence.
Remain on the owner’s property.
Do not disturb the peace by howling or crying.
Do not damage others’ property.
Do not scatter garbage.
Do not chase, threaten, or attack a person or an animal.
Fines for failing to comply with the Responsible Pet Ownership By-law range from $25 to $1,500.
