Property Standards Bylaw approved

Yorkton Council gave third and final reading to its revised Property Standards Bylaw at the regular meeting of Council Monday.

"Following the November 14th Council meeting, Administration advertised the Property Standards Bylaw," stated the City's Manager of Building Services Brant Hryhorczuk.

The advertising process did net some public concerns, said Hryhorczuk.

"We received concerns from the public regarding the new requirements for downspouts," he said.

The issue of concern revolved around a change in the bylaw which would have made downspouts being no longer allowed to extend to a back alley or front sidewalk but they would have had to be a minimum of three metres back of each.

Hryhorczuk said the public was concerned with situations where some existing garages did not have room to meet the suggested requirement.

As a result two amendments, which Council also passed unanimously, were suggested by City Administration. They were;

Beginning on May 1, 2012, all downpouts in new construction shall terminate a minimum of three metres (10 feet) from a front sidewalk or rear alley.

Garages located in rear yards where their location is such that a metre (10 feet) setback of the downspout is not possible from the alley will be exempted from this requirement.

With the amendments the Bylaw was passed unanimously.