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By Caden Fanshaw

BYLAW

City wavers on enforcement, clarity of ‘unsightly property’ bylaw

Dec 12, 2022 | 5:24 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – What makes a property ‘unsightly’ in Prince George?

A downtown business owner asked the simple question to city staff himself after a downtown building on the corner of 3rd Avenue and Dominion Street caught his eye.

J.P. Palmer, Co-Owner at Victory Paint and Mercantile said he has seen the building for years but has really noticed it become rundown.

I’m not a community activist, I’m not trying to stir anything up, it just it struck me because I like these old buildings and I’m a downtown business owner,” said Palmer. “I know that by law, make sure that our residences are clean and tidy and that we’re watering our lawns on the right day and we’re not leaving vehicles on the street.”

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Palmer said he also understands the unique challenges with being a downtown business owner often dealing with vandalism and broken glass at his own store, just part of the cost of doing business in the downtown core.

The building which sparked the conversation at the corner of 3rd Avenue and dominion Street downtown happens to be owned by Mayor Simon Yu,

Yu said he has tried to complete repairs on the building he purchased back in 2014 but obtaining financing on a building in that location has proven to be a challenge.

Ultimately Yu agreed with the complaint, apologizing for the condition of the structure and pledging to fix it in a timely basis, work he is currently engaged in completing already,

Still though the question remains, what criteria make for a building in the City of Prince George to be considered unsightly.

According to the bylaw, things like peeling paint, broken windows, broken fencing, and a structure in poor condition with rotting and holes all fit the bill and also fit the state of the building in question.

The City of Prince George Bylaw Services staff declined to comment on the bylaw or how it is enforced after confirming an interview with CKPG News on Monday afternoon.

The Property Maintenance Bylaw was last updated in 2012, it is unknown the last time it was enacted on a property owner.