It appears a change in approach is coming from North Battleford City Hall with respect to ensuring compliance with the city's sidewalk clearing bylaw.
The bylaw has been a source of controversy among city residents due to provisions requiring property owners to clear sidewalks within 24 hours to make city streets more passable in wintertime. It has drawn fire from several city businesses and residences hit with unexpected invoices from the city for failing to clear snow within the deadline.
However, during discussion on the topic at council Monday, City Manager Jim Toye indicated administration will take a different approach to enforcing the bylaw this winter that will involve greater communication of the bylaw's requirements to property owners.
He said the City will contact businesses in advance, and give a tap on the door to businesses if they are open to let them know they would be coming in to clear the snow.
The City also plans to send letters to businesses to remind owners of their responsibilities under the bylaw before the snow arrives. Toye made clear, though, that property owners still had the responsibility to clear the snow.
Toye's response seemed to satisfy Councillor Grace Lang, who had raised concerns Monday and at previous meetings about the number of invoices that had not been paid.
Responding to her previous inquiry on how many invoices were still outstanding, Director of Public Works Stewart Schafer said a total of 66 businesses were invoiced for a total of $13,133.25. As of Sept. 21, 15 invoices were still outstanding for a total of $4,153.50.
The large number of businesses invoiced raised alarm bells for Lang about how the bylaw was being applied.
"That's a lot of businesses contravening the bylaw," she said.
However, Toye's plans for future enforcement satisfied Lang.
"What the city manager has explained, I am in favour of that process," she said.
