Council approved new regulations for aggressive and dangerous dogs last week.
“We’re putting more teeth in the dog bylaw,” quipped Mayor Mark McKee.
The new rules gives the city’s bylaw enforcement officers the power to designate dogs as aggressive or dangerous if they’ve threatened or injured a person of another domestic animal.
Aggressive dogs have to be kept on a short leash, never be let loose and must be let muzzled in public places or off-leash areas.
Dangerous dogs must be locked in a cage while at home and aren’t allowed in any public places.
The new rules give the city more tools to deal with aggressive or dangerous dogs. Theresa Lerose, the city’s manager of legislative services, said there was 10 dog bites on people or other dogs last year.
New fines added to tree bylaw
The City of Revelstoke will now be able to fine people up to $1,000 if they prune, damage of cut down a tree on city property.
The move follows an incident earlier this year where two trees on city property were cut down illegally.
A staff report says that without these fines, the only option for the city to go after people who violate the Municipal Property Tree Bylaw was to take them to court.
The fines are $1,000 for damaging, pruning or cutting down a tree, and $500 for planting a tree on city property.
New vacation rental policies being developed
The City of Revelstoke’s planning department hopes to have new vacation rental policies ready to go to council by the end of summer.
“I am optimistically hoping for the end of the summer so we can be ready for the winter season,” said Nigel Whitehead, the city’s director of development services, during last week’s council meeting.
Whitehead made the remarks in response to a question from the Review.
At last week’s meeting, council was presented with a letter from the Revelstoke Accommodation Association asking that all vacation rentals must include a business license number and address in their ads.
They also asked the city to compile a list of all legal vacation rentals and to establish an enforcement strategy that included reporting all illegal rentals to BC Assessment and Revenue Canada.