Learn what bylaws mean for packing up the RV, trimming the hedges and hosting those backyard events.
Summer’s coming and that means spending more time outside. Whether you’re packing up the camper, trimming the hedges or hosting a wiener roast, make sure you keep it fun for everyone – including your neighbours.

Below is a quick overview of summer related bylaws. For more detailed information, please visit the Bylaw
Topics of Interest page on calgary.ca/bylaws or download brochures on the Educational Resources page, available at calgary.ca/animalservices – click on the School & Education Programs link.

Summer backyard events
Firepits
All fires must be:
• In a fire pit or non-combustible container. Firepits must be built into the bare ground or set on  noncombustible material, such as brick or stone.
• At least two metres away from the property line, building or fence, and not beneath any trees, branches or other combustible materials.
• Kept to a reasonable size (under one metre both height and width) so the fire, embers, sparks and dense smoke don’t endanger anyone or cause a nuisance to any neighbouring properties.
• Fully supervised at all times.
• Fully extinguished by 1 a.m. They can be relit after 10 a.m. Use only clean, dry wood, and you must have a way of extinguishing the fire close by at all times. Fines for breaking these regulations range between $300 and $5,000.

Noise
Remember to keep the noise down when you’re outside late at night. Keep it down between 10 p.m. and 7a.m. Monday to Saturday, and 10 p.m. to 9 a.m. on Sunday and holidays. During these times, don’t yell, mow your lawn, honk your horn or use your power tools outside – even noisy air conditioners can keep your neighbours up. And make sure you turn the stereo off between 10 p.m. and 7 a.m. Monday to Sunday. During the Calgary Stampede, you can leave it on until midnight. Fines for breaking these regulations range between $100 and $200.

Parking the RV or camper

Before you pull your RV up to your house to start packing for the next trip, don’t forget about these rules:
• Detached trailers and campers cannot be parked on city streets.
• RV’s can be parked on a street immediately adjacent to the owner’s residence for a maximum of 36 hours.
• RV’s can be parked in front of your property and in front driveways up to 24 hours.
• RV’s parked on the street must be parked so that it’s safe for people using the street.
  RV’s can be stored in your backyard or at a storage facility. Fines for breaking these regulations on private property range between $50 and $100. And   remember, basketball nets, skateboard ramps and hockey      nets are not allowed on city streets, even if only temporarily. Keeping your yard tidy Keep your lawn, trees and shrubs neat and tidy this summer. Here’s what the bylaws say:

Lawn

• Grass must be less than 6 inches (15cm) tall.
• As a resident, you’re responsible for maintaining your lawn and areas adjacent to your property up to the middle of the back alley.

Hedges & Trees

• Keep hedges, trees and shrubs trimmed so they don’t interfere with pedestrians on the sidewalks or
  vehicles using the street or alley. This does not apply to City owned trees. Fines for breaking these regulations range between $100 and $500. For more details   and information on other bylaws, visit calgary.ca/bylaws.

By Joel Kom, Calgary Herald  

Those who repeatedly fail to clear their sidewalks of ice and snow could be slapped with a $250 fine.  The reduced penalty comes as city officials said they've had 10,500 complaints about people leaving ice and snow untouched in the past three months, eating up significant amounts of bylaw officers' time. 

"We're spending quite a lot of money having very expensive officers go and remind them again . . . to shovel your snow," said bylaw chief Bill Bruce, noting about 1,000 property owners could be considered repeat offenders.  Bruce initially proposed a $350 penalty for people who repeatedly let snow remain on their sidewalks, but enough aldermen on the committee thought that was too much. 

They settled instead on the $250 fine, which would be tacked on to the $150 bill the city gives the property owner for crews having to do a cleanup. 

Any first-time offender would receive a warning and, if they didn't obey the city's order to clear the sidewalk within 24 hours, they'd get billed for $150. The $250 fine would be imposed only for subsequent offences. 

If the proposal gets council approval, it would mark the first specific penalty for failing to remove ice and snow from a sidewalk. 

Ald. Andre Chabot said a lower fine was more defensible given the city's inability to clear its own sidewalks, alluding to criticism the city took for its own snow-clearing efforts earlier this winter. 

"It's difficult to impose a by-law on the average resident if we're not able to respond to our own cleanups," he said.  Chabot said he also had concerns about people being fined when they're away. 

Ald. Druh Farrell said the fine sends a message.  "Certainly snow clearing is being seen as optional by several thousand Calgarians," she said. 

Indeed, Bruce told the committee that some people openly admit they don't touch their sidewalks until the city forces their hand. 

"There's the person who tells me on the phone that 'I never shovel my walk until I get a notice from the city,' " he said. 

Farrell said clearing sidewalks is also a public safety issue, saying she hears from seniors who either slip and fall or are afraid to go out because of icy walkways. 

Some Calgary residents said they liked the proposed fine. 

"It's dangerous, particularly for seniors," West Hillhurst resident Madeleine Mangels said of slippery sidewalks. "I almost turned people in. I couldn't walk on the sidewalk." 

Others said the $400 penalty total -- the fine plus the cleanup bill--was too much. 

"I understand seniors have trouble getting around, and that's too bad.But then there's the whole thing about the city not clearing the roads. That's dangerous, too," said Tarah Reesor. 

"One hundred dollars (should be) the maximum," said Roy Banack. "It's enough to hit them in the pocket." 

jkom@theherald.canwest.com
kguttormson@theherald.canwest.com
© Copyright (c) The Calgary Herald

Attached is the link to the Shawnee-Evergreen Community Association Bylaws (approved in 2007).

Here is the download:SECA2007Bylaws.pdf (238.27 kb)