The City of Red Deer must follow legislated processes before taking "drastic" steps such as demolishing a privately owned derelict house, says a city official.
On Monday, Glendale neighbours spoke out about a rabbit and weed-infested infested condemned residence on Greenham Drive that had repeatedly attracted break-ins by homeless squatters. The neighbours want the dilapidated home, which was abandoned by the owner three or four years ago, to be either repaired or torn down.
On Tuesday, Amy Fengstad, parking and licensing supervisor, responded it isn't easy for the city to step in and take decisive action on a privately owned property. She said steps outlined in the provincial Safety Codes Act and the Municipal Government Act must be followed.
"There are multiple steps and factors that are considered prior to the City initiating such drastic steps as a demolition, particularly when the property is privately owned," said Fengstad.
The city is often not the only enforcement body playing a role. In this case, Fengstad said neighbours' complaints also prompted an inspection by the RCMP and Alberta SPCA. "From there, Alberta Health Services became involved and AHS continues to be the primary enforcement agency," she said.
The Greenham Drive property has been condemned by an Alberta Health Services inspector for having "extremely unsanitary conditions," including animal feces throughout. The AHS report states the house's floors are saturated with clutter, dirt, debris and refuse making the kitchen and bathrooms inaccessible.
A foul odour emanates from around the front door while knee-high grass and weeds can be seen in the front yard.
The Glendale property is breaking several aspects of Red Deer's Community Standards bylaw, which allows the city to apply fines when properties are not kept to an acceptable standard. Fengstad said this is still an active investigation so she cannot comment on such details.
She added that the City has limited enforcement resources, and assesses derelict properties on an individual basis.
"While our approach may vary from property to property, the principles remain the same: We strive to create a safe and healthy community through compliance with City bylaws. We work with property owners to achieve compliance and typically limit City intervention to properties where the hazards created by the condition of the property cannot be addressed in other ways."
Even when legislation opens the door to the city stepping in to make necessary exterior repairs, such as to a long burned out former commercial building on 48th Street, it is not a straightforward process. Municipalities often have to go through the courts before undertaking work to private properties.
Red Deerians with concerns about a nuisance or derelict property, are encouraged to send photos or a description to inspections@reddeer.ca.
