by The City of Calgary
Note from Carla: Since we are coming into spring, I thought we should cover community cleanliness issues.
For any concerns over what city bylaws are in place, please see http://www.calgary.ca/CSPS/ABS/Pages/Bylaws-by-topic/Bylaws-by-topic.aspx for a full listing.
Community Cleanliness Issues
Composting: Under the Community Standards Bylaw, you must ensure composting piles or composting containers are maintained, so they do not create offensive odors or attract pests. Fines for violations range between $50 and $100.
Drainage: The Drainage Bylaw, the Wastewater Bylaw, and the Community Standards Bylaw all outline rules for drainage to ensure nothing inappropriate ends up in our rivers. For information on fines, search for the Bylaws Related to Drainage page. It is an offence to allow any prohibited material into the Storm Drainage System. Examples of prohibited materials include soil, waste, animal waste, fecal matter, cooking oils, greases, gasoline, motor oil, transmission fluids, solvents, paint, cement, sawdust, yard waste, pesticides, biomedical waste, hazardous waste, soaps, odorous materials, detergents, and water from hot tubs.
Vehicles must be washed at a car wash and not on a road, an alley, or a driveway. Drain hot tubs and swimming pools directly into the wastewater drain located in the basement of your residence.
Downspouts and eavestroughs must not terminate within 2 meters of a surface drainage facility (unless located in a side yard) or a street, which includes alleys and lanes.
It is a requirement to keep surface drainage facilities on private property (known as “Overland Drainage Right-of-Way” (ODRW), including swales and catch basins/drains) clear of any soil, silt, yard waste, or any other matter that may obstruct, restrict, or prevent the flow of water. Buildings or structures cannot be constructed or placed on or over the surface drainage facility. If a fence must be built over the facility, there must be at least 6 inches (15 cm) of clearance between the facility and the bottom of the fence.
The use of any storm drainage for activities such as construction or irrigation purposes is prohibited without the written consent of the Director of Resources.
Fines for violations of these regulations range between $75 and $3,000 for the first offence.
Grass and herbaceous plants: Under the Community Standards Bylaw, private property owners must ensure that grasses and herbaceous plants do not exceed 15 cm (six inches) in height. Fines for violations range between $100 and $300. Property owners are also responsible for caring for, and maintaining, the area adjacent to their property (i.e., boulevards) up to the middle of the alley and the street.
If you know of a bylaw infraction and would like to report it to Animal and Bylaw Services, please call 311 (from within Calgary) or 403-268-CITY (2489) (from outside Calgary).
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