Council recently approved amendments to the Delta Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw, updating offence wording and numbering for specific prohibited uses that exist in the current Zoning Bylaw.
Staff say the update is required to bring the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw provisions into alignment with a previous zoning bylaw amendment, allowing for enforcement of the offences using the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw.
Non-permitted cannabis production will now land you a $500 penalty, but that will be discounted to $450 if paid within 14 days, but the fine will be $550 if not paid within 28 days.
Non-permitted cannabis research and development will cost you the same amounts.
Meanwhile, non-permitted off-track betting will also result in a municipal ticket of $500, going down to $450 if paid within 14 days, but the late charge after 28 days will be $550.
The fine amount for the non-permitted use of a vehicle, trailer or boat as a residence is $200, while it’s $174 if paid within 14 days and $225 after 28 days.
Since 2011, the City of Delta has utilized the Bylaw Notice Enforcement Bylaw as an alternative to the provincial court process to provide a simple and effective method for enforcing minor bylaw contraventions.
The system was enabled by the provincial government through the Local Government Bylaw Notice Enforcement Act.
The system also includes a professional and non-judicial adjudicator to hear ticket disputes.
The province explains that the bylaw notice adjudication system reduces the demands on the court system, is less expensive to administer than the court process and better balances between the amount of the penalty imposed (at a maximum set by regulation, currently at $500) and the cost of pursuing the bylaw contravention in court.
