DocumentsStaff ReportNov 17, 2025Pages 126–137
Report: Correcting Nuisance Conditions — 2710 Strathmore Road
Staff report requesting Council direction to address nuisance conditions at 2710 Strathmore Road, including potential remedial action orders and enforcement measures to correct unsightly or dilapidated conditions on the property.
Key facts
- Civic address: 2710 Strathmore Road
- Subject: declaration of nuisance and recommendation of remedial action order under the Community Charter if owner does not remedy conditions
- Agenda item: 9.2 on the November 17, 2025 agenda
Report: Correcting Nuisance Conditions — 2710 Strathmore Road
DATE: Monday, November 17, 2025
DEPARTMENT: Bylaw and Enforcement
SUBJECT: Correcting Nuisance Conditions – 2710 Strathmore Road
Executive Summary
The purpose of this report is to seek direction from Council regarding ongoing nuisance bylaw enforcement issues arising from unsatisfactory conditions at the land assembly at 2710 Strathmore Road, Langford BC (the “Property”) and legally described as LOT 1, SECTION 5, ESQUIMALT DISTRICT, PLAN EPP142050.
The Property, owned by Langford Landing Development Ltd. (the “Property Owner” or “Owner”), has been the subject of public complaints for unsightliness, unsecure premises, trespassing, and graffiti, among others. These conditions present a persistent nuisance to the neighbourhood, causing visual blight, inviting trespasses, fire risk and unauthorized dumping. Despite repeated inspections, issuance of multiple warnings, compliance orders, and Bylaw Offence Notices (BONs), together with other enforcement actions, the Property Owner has failed to reliably manage the site or remediate ongoing nuisances. The City’s ongoing and numerous efforts have resulted in limited success.
Staff are seeking a declaration from Council that the Property constitutes a Nuisance pursuant to Sections 72 and 74 of the Community Charter and are asking that Council impose remedial action requirements.
Background
Sections 72 and 74(1)(a) of the Community Charter authorize Council to declare a building or other structure to be a nuisance and to impose remedial action requirements in relation to that nuisance. Section 74(2) expands this authority to include situations where a thing is considered by Council to be so dilapidated or unclean as to be offensive to the community.
A remedial action order would require the Property Owner to take the steps necessary to abate the nuisance. In this case, that could include removal of the vacant buildings and the services to those buildings, clean up of all debris and filling in any excavations to prevent accumulation of water on the site. Council may also wish to require the site to remain securely fenced so that it does not become a gathering place or subject to problematic trespass.
The Property at 2710 Strathmore Road is a five-parcel land assembly that includes both occupied and vacant dwellings. The dwellings located at (former) 2700, 2708, and 2712 Strathmore Road remain legally occupied and are not the source of the ongoing nuisance issues. The vacant dwellings at (former) 875 and 881 Brock Avenue, however, have been breached by trespassers, subject to graffiti and debris accumulation, and have attracted ongoing nuisance activity. For clarity throughout this report, the former parcel addresses will be referenced when specifying particular locations on the Property.
Since January 2025, City staff have received numerous complaints from neighbouring residents and reports from the RCMP concerning the condition and activity occurring on the Property. These complaints have included details of unauthorized occupation of a motorhome and dwellings, accumulations of garbage and chattel, graffiti, rodent concerns, and dilapidated buildings. Bylaw Officers have conducted multiple inspections confirming unsightly and nuisance conditions. The RCMP have attended the site multiple times in response to reports of criminal activity, trespassing, and unauthorized occupants.
To date, no demolition permits have been submitted for the parcels, and there is no indication that redevelopment will begin soon. Nearby residents and City staff effectively act as property managers by default, see the Chronology noted below.
Staff believe that remediation of the site by way of demolition of all vacant buildings and their foundations and underground services is the only effective way to resolve the ongoing nuisance on the Property. In addition, these actions address the risks associated with vacant and unsecured buildings and relieve the neighboring residents from the ongoing burden of the issues arising directly because of the current condition of the properties.
Chronology
- 2025-01-09 – Complaint: RCMP reporting large motorhome at 881 Brock Avenue. RCMP noted multiple individuals residing in the uninsured motorhome. RCMP requested investigation of zoning and nuisance issues.
- 2025-01-09 – Inspection: Confirmed signs of occupancy in motorhome, with accumulations of garbage and belongings. ICBC confirmed expired vehicle insurance.
- 2025-01-10 – Property Owner ordered to remove occupants.
- 2025-01-25 – Inspection: Motorhome vacated.
- 2025-03-21 – Complaint: Several RCMP attendances in response criminal activity and squatting at 875 and 881 Brock Avenue. Complaint also regarding unsightly property and nuisance impacts.
- 2025-03-21 – Inspection: Motorhome occupied by several individuals. Accumulations of rubbish, chattel, and discarded materials. Compliance order sent to Property Owner requiring RV to be vacated and garbage removed by 2025-04-16.
- 2025-03-22 – Complaints: Unsightly conditions at 875 and 881 Brock Avenue.
- 2025-04-03 – Complaint: Unsightly conditions of both occupied and unoccupied properties in land assembly.
- 2025-04-09 – Complaint: Unsightly conditions and nuisance impacts from unauthorized occupants in motorhome and in the dwellings at 875 & 881 Brock Avenue.
- 2025-04-15 – Property Owner update that unauthorized occupants, motorhome and garbage/chattel accumulations to be removed with fencing installed post-clearance. The Property Owner also communicated that demolition permits will be applied for both 875 and 881 Brock Ave.
- 2025-04-17 – Inspection: Property cleared of unauthorized occupants by RCMP. 881 Brock Avenue boarded up, perimeter fencing installed, and garbage bins delivered for cleanup. Motorhome is still on-site; towing arranged. Minor accumulations of chattel and rubbish remained. One-week extension granted to achieve compliance.
- 2025-04-26 – Inspection: Motorhome and majority of rubbish removed. 875 Brock Avenue boarded up. Some residual chattels are present.
- 2025-05-17 – Inspection: Cleanup ongoing, workers removing chattel and rubbish.
- 2025-07-24 – Complaint: Reporting fire hazard risk due to unmaintained property and dilapidated buildings. Inspection confirmed vacant buildings boarded and secured. No substantial accumulations noted.
- 2025-08-26 – Inspection: 881 Brock Avenue breached and large graffiti tag on 875 Brock Avenue. Property Owner contacted.
- 2025-09-08 – Inspection: Graffiti and breach still present. Fines issued to Property Owner.
- 2025-09-11 – Graffiti removed, and rear door secured.
- 2025-10-07 – Complaints: Reporting nuisance impacts, primarily around rodents and dilapidated condition of buildings.
- 2025-10-10 – Complaint: Dumped items and loose garbage on property. Property Owner contacted for cleanup.
- 2025-10-23 – Complaint: Property conditions, unsightliness and rodent concerns.
Commentary
Section 72 of the Community Charter provides municipal Councils with the authority to identify, declare and take action to correct nuisances and hazardous situations on private land by issuing a remedial action order.
Council’s authority includes the ability to require a property owner to correct the declared nuisance conditions on their property by a specified date. Should the property owner fail to comply with the order, the Community Charter then provides that Council may direct staff and contractors to enter onto the property to remove or correct the conditions which led to the declaration of the nuisance. Where the City must undertake the work, the legislation allows the costs of the remedial work to be charged to the property owner, and if unpaid after December 31 of that year, be added to property taxes.
Council resolutions imposing remedial action requirements must specify the time by which the required action must be completed by the owner, and Council is required to provide notice to any person or corporation subject to the requirement. Should Council proceed with declaring the property a nuisance, staff will be responsible for ensuring the appropriate and necessary steps are taken to carry out Council’s direction. Once notice of the order has been provided to the property owner, a reconsideration by Council may be requested by the property owner. Each holder of a registered charge in relation to the Property who appears on the assessment role must also be notified of the declaration and associated resolution imposing remedial action.
The vacant and deteriorated buildings at 875 and 881 Brock Avenue remain in visibly poor condition. The surrounding grounds have accumulations of rubbish, discarded materials, and graffiti, contributing to an unsightly appearance visible from both Brock Avenue and adjacent residential areas.
Over the course of 2025, the City has recorded numerous complaints related to the Property, including concerns of fire risk, rodents, and maintenance of the vacant buildings. Despite periodic cleanup and boarding efforts, the combination of dilapidated buildings, debris, and evidence of prior occupation continues to detract from the character of the neighbourhood.
No demolition permits have been submitted, and there is no indication that the Property Owner intends to pursue imminent development. As a result, these nuisance conditions are expected to continue indefinitely, placing ongoing demands on City resources and impacting the surrounding community.
A Remedial Action Order passed by Council in the form as attached as Schedule “A” to this report would permit staff to remediate the site and bring it into compliance with the Remedial Action Order, should the Property Owner fail to take the steps required.
Financial Implications
If the Property Owner does not comply with the Remedial Action Order, the City will, either directly or through contractors, enter onto the premises and conduct the remedial work necessary to abate the nuisance conditions. Pursuant to Section 17 of the Community Charter, the costs of the work would be applied to the property taxes as of December 31, 2026, accounting for time needed for steps to advance the remedial process. With 2025 soon ending, the work as described herein would most likely take place in early 2026.
At this time, the City has not sought a cost estimate for the works required to satisfactorily remediate the Property. If costs accrued are transferred to property taxes, all standard property tax rules apply (i.e. interest on arrears and delinquent taxes owing and should the property taxes remain unpaid and delinquent the property would go to Tax Sale). As such, staff are not concerned about the City’s ability to recoup the costs associated with the remediation, even if it is not collected until the Tax Sale process.
Legal Implications
Council is provided with authority under Section 72 of the Community Charter to identify, declare and take action to correct nuisances and hazardous situations by employing a Remedial Action Order. The authority to make such declarations under Section 72 is further defined by Section 74 (nuisances). Once such notice of the declaration has been provided to the property owner, those affected are permitted to request reconsideration by Council. Should Council uphold their decision, the property owner is then required to comply with the order.
Failure by the property owner to fulfill the terms of the order would result in staff and contractors entering onto the property to remediate all elements of the declaration. Further remedies could include eventual sale of the property by the City through the authority of Section 80 of the Community Charter should the City be obliged to proceed with completing the remedial work where the property owner fails to do so, and where payment by the property owner for the work is not forthcoming. Further research into the application of this extraordinary remedy would be needed before this step was taken.
Strategic Plan Alignment
5 – Good Governance.
Options
Option 1
THAT Council declares the property having civic address of 2710 Strathmore Road, Langford BC (the “Property”) and legally described as LOT 1, SECTION 5, ESQUIMALT DISTRICT, PLAN EPP142050 to be a nuisance pursuant to Section 74(1) and Section 74(2) of the Community Charter, due to the continued presence of vacant and unsecured buildings that are to be considered so dilapidated or unclean as to be offensive to the community;
AND
THAT Council impose a Remedial Action Order in the form as attached, subject to any revisions recommended by legal counsel;
AND
THAT Council direct staff that if such remedial action is not completed by the Property Owner within 60 days of Council’s Remedial Action Order being served on the Property Owner, the City, by its staff, contractors and agents, will enter the Property to complete the required work at the Owner’s expense pursuant to Section 17 of the Community Charter.
OR Option 2
THAT Council take no action with respect to making a declaration or imposing remedial action requirements on the Property Owner of the parcel having a civic address of 2710 Strathmore Road at this time.
Submitted By
Riley Leach, Construction Impact Officer, Community Safety & Municipal Enforcement
Concurrence: Lorne Fletcher, Manager, Community Safety & Municipal Enforcement
Concurrence: Melisa Miles, Manager of Legislative Services
Concurrence: Chris Aubrey, Fire Chief
Concurrence: Leah Stohmann, RPP, MCIP, Director of Community Planning and Development
Concurrence: Katelyn Balzer, P.Eng., Director of Engineering and Public Works
Concurrence: Marie Watmough, Director of Legislative & Protective Services
Concurrence: Braden Hutchins, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer
Concurrence: Darren Kiedyk, Chief Administrative Officer
Attachments
- Schedule A: Remedial Action Order- 2710 Strathmore Road
- Schedule B: Property Photos – 2710 Strathmore Road
Schedule A: Remedial Action Order — 2710 Strathmore Road
CITY OF LANGFORD
REMEDIAL ACTION ORDER
TO ORDER THE REMOVAL OF NUISANCE BUILDINGS AND UNSIGHTLY MATERIALS FROM A CERTAIN PROPERTY
WHEREAS:
A. Langford Landing Development Ltd. (the “Owner of the Property”) is the registered owner in fee simple and occupier of lands and premises located in the City of Langford, having a civic address of 2710 Strathmore Rd, Langford BC and legally described as LOT 1, SECTION 5, ESQUIMALT DISTRICT, PLAN EPP142050 (the “Property”);
B. The Property includes vacant buildings that are in a deteriorated and dilapidated condition, with surrounding grounds affected by accumulations of debris, garbage, and graffiti, all of which the municipal council (“Council”) of the City of Langford (the “City”) considers to be unsightly, offensive, and a nuisance, and not in keeping with the standards of the community;
C. Repeated efforts by City staff to cause the Owner of the Property to remediate the Property and to mitigate the nuisance have failed to achieve sustained results,
NOW THEREFORE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF LANGFORD IN OPEN MEETING ASSEMBLED HEREBY RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
Council declares the continued presence of vacant, dilapidated buildings, accumulations of rubbish and debris, and the ongoing unauthorized entry to the Property and structures to be a nuisance pursuant to the Community Charter Section 74(1) and 74(2).
Council orders the Owner of the Property, Langford Landing Development Ltd., to demolish all vacant buildings and remove all foundations, underground services and related debris from the Property.
Council further orders the Owner of the Property to take such measures as are necessary to prevent further nuisance on the Property, which steps may include securely fencing the Property.
Council orders that the Owner of the Property must comply with the requirements of Section 2 of this Order within 60 (sixty) days from the date on which this Order is served upon the Owner of the Property.
Council orders that should the Owner of the Property fail to comply with the requirements of Section 2 of this Order within 60 (sixty) days from the date on which this Order is served upon the Owner of the Property, the City may through its employees, agents, or contractors, enter upon the Property and carry out the work necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 2 of this Order at the expense of the Owner of the Property pursuant to Section17 of the Community Charter.
Remedial Action Order
2710 Strathmore Rd
Order is served upon the Owner of the Property, the City may through its employees, agents, or contractors, enter upon the Property and carry out the work necessary to satisfy the requirements of Section 2 of this Order at the expense of the Owner of the Property pursuant to Section17 of the Community Charter.
Mayor
Date
Corporate Officer
Date
Schedule B: Property Photos — 2710 Strathmore Road
