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Home My WebLink AboutCRPS-10-044 - Graffiti Strategy - UpdateREPORT REPORT TO: Finance and Corporate Services Committee DATE OF MEETING: April 26, 2010 SUBMITTED BY: Troy Speck, General Manager of Corporate Services PREPARED BY: Shayne Turner, Director of By-law Enforcement WARD(S) INVOLVED: All DATE OF REPORT: April 19, 2010 REPORT NO.: CRPS-10-044 SUBJECT: GRAFFITI STRATEGY - UPDATE RECOMMENDATION: That the Waterloo Region Graffiti Strategy update as contained in Report No. CRPS-10-044 be received for information; and further, That a by-law be enacted to regulate the placing of graffiti and the removal of graffiti from property. BACKGROUND: The Graffiti Strategy Committee was formed in 2009 and has developed a draft action plan which is attached to this report. One of the action items relates to developing appropriate tools to assist enforcement staff with facilitating quicker removal of graffiti. This report discusses the option of a graffiti removal by- law. REPORT: The attached report, which is still under development, provides an overview of the process followed to date and the various stakeholders who have participated. It also outlines the key areas of focus (themes) within the strategy. It is important to note that the action plan represents those items that are under consideration and being explored at this time. It is ïí ó ï considered to be a “living” document that is subject to change from time to time as the status of action items evolve, are removed because they have been completed or are found not to be feasible, or as new ideas come forward for exploration. During the process and development of the action plan, it was identified that municipalities within the Region deal with graffiti removal in a variety of ways. As a result, one of the action items created relates to looking at how the enforcement process may be streamlined to be consistent within the 3 cities as well as more flexible and efficient. Of note is the fact that the City of Cambridge has developed a stand alone graffiti removal by- law, whereas the Kitchener and Waterloo deal with graffiti removal by way of a provision in our larger Property Standards By-law. As such, Kitchener and Waterloo enforcement staff have met to discuss the feasibility of a by-law that would deal with graffiti in a manner similar to Cambridge. As mentioned, Kitchener’s By-law Enforcement staff deal with graffiti, taking action to require its removal, using a provision in the Property Standards By-law (Chapter 665 of the Municipal Code). Although the removal provision in the By-law is enforceable, staff are of the opinion that the process can be improved to allow staff more flexibility. The property standards enforcement process is governed by the Building Code Act and includes certain requirements that can impact the timelines related to having graffiti removed. In addition, there is a formal process to appeal the timelines to comply as specified in the orders. Staff are proposing the development of a stand alone graffiti removal by-law to replace the current property standards provisions they are enforcing. The proposed by-law is authorized under the provisions of the Municipal Act, 2001, that enables municipalities to deal with nuisance issues. The proposed by-law will allow staff to be more flexible in terms of the timelines given to property owners to comply. In addition, staff can work with the property owners and provide some latitude in terms of compliance requirements outside of the formal appeal process in property standards enforcement. The by-law will also contain a provision that will allow the City to enter on to the property to clean up the graffiti if the owner fails to do so. All associated costs can be added to the tax roll of the subject property. A draft by-law is currently under development by By-law Enforcement staff in conjunction with Legal Services and, subject to Council’s direction, will be presented for enactment at a future Council meeting. FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS: None identified at this time. ïí ó î COMMUNICATIONS: No Corporate Communications required. CONCLUSION: The Waterloo Region Graffiti Strategy Committee has developed an action plan to address the issue of graffiti in a variety of ways. The action plan identifies the process of enforcing graffiti removal as one that can be improved. Staff believe the proposed stand alone graffiti removal by-law, which will replace the current process using the property standards process, will give staff more flexibility to require quicker removal as well as options to work with the property owner to facilitate graffiti removal. 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