Spring cleaning will take on a whole new meaning next year as Owen Sound will begin strict enforcement of its new property standards by law.
By law committee Chair David Adair says the by law will target unsafe and unsightly homes, untidy yards or yards with piles of rubbish or other debris in them.
He says under the old system, the city would only act on a complaint from a neighbour and Adair says under the new by law city officials will be out patrolling neighbours looking for infractions.
Adar says the by law and building inspectors will patrol different areas of the city at different times and do walk by inspections of businesses and homes.
He says if there are no problems they will move on to another area, if there is a property standards issue, then an order will be issued giving the property owner a time frame for fixing up the problem
Adair says if it is a situation that could result in injury the fix up will have to be almost immediate.
He says the by law officers will be able to use their discretion and with less serious situations home or business owners will be given more time to fix up their property.
