It looks like Erin council is thinking about painting the town – clean.
At a recent council session, members supported councillor Deb Callaghan’s motion to move forward with the draft of a graffiti bylaw.
She noted the local Community Oriented Policing (COP) committee has identified graffiti to be a visual nuisance in urban areas and there appears to be a steady increase in such activity.
As such, council was asked to prepare a graffiti bylaw for council to review and consider.
Callaghan explained the COP committee has looked at this particular issue since the group’s inception.
“They have identified problem areas in the village of Erin.”
Callaghan said the focus is now on eradicating graffiti.
Part of that program, with the property owner’s permission, would involve going in and cleaning up properties.
“We had discussed the town’s cooperation in drafting a graffiti bylaw.
“Once we get rid of this graffiti, we will have a bylaw which can be implemented and enforced.”
Callaghan said there was considerable discussion about putting the onus on the property owner, but other municipalities do have graffiti bylaws in conjunction with property standards bylaws.
She said her request was for staff to have a look at some of the bylaws which are in place in other municipalities.
Callaghan had a copy of the one used by the City of Vaughn which had been upheld in the court system.
Councillor Barb Tocher agreed with Callaghan that there was considerable discussion at the COPs committee.
Tocher said “my uncomfortableness with this kind of bylaw is that it puts the onus on the property owner – who is in fact the victim, not the perpetrator.”
However, Tocher understood why the committee had come forward with its suggestion.
“Because there is no other avenue to ensure the properties are cleaned up in a timely manner,” she explained.
“I prefer the carrot instead of the stick,” Tocher said.
She agreed there is always the potential of the perpetrators coming back to a “clean easel.”
Tocher requested that the bylaw include publicly-owned properties as well.
Council agreed to move forward.
