A Richmond resident is asking for one more month to clean up his mother’s property that’s been the subject of complaints and a cleanup order.
A hearing is scheduled for Monday afternoon about a property on Severn Drive – in the South Arm area.
Council is being asked to uphold an order to clean up the property under the “unslightly premises” bylaw, which the owner’s son has appealed.
Edward Wong, who lives on the property owned by his mother, asked Richmond city council in June for another month to clean up the property, which still has two disposal bins in front of it.
He is now asking for another month, citing the recent heat wave as hindering his progress.
Wong said bylaws staff visited the property last week to see the progress on cleaning up his backyard.
Wong told the Richmond News he is determined to get the work done over the next month, after being slowed down by record temperatures at the end of June.
“I’m sure (council is) understanding about it,” Wong added.
The property was the subject of complaints over several years, and this order dates back to November 2019.
At the June hearing, Carli Williams, manager of bylaws, told council there had been “substantial progress” in the cleanup, but at that point there were still pallets, garbage, derelict vehicles and a container in the front yard that needed to be dealt with.
Wong told the News he feels “targeted” by people in the neighbourhood, pointing out there are shipping containers on another property close by to him.
The City of Richmond asked council to uphold the cleanup order, which would allow the city to clean up the property and bill the owner if it wasn’t followed.
The hearing will be held at a special council meeting at 3:30 p.m. on Monday.
