Policy and Procedure Manual s1

TOWN OF GIBSONS

POLICY AND PROCEDURE MANUAL

SUBJECT: GRAFFITI AWARENESS, SECTION: Public works REDUCTION AND NUMBER: 4.13 REMOVAL PAGE 1 OF 3 ADOPTED: May 6th, 2003 RESOLUTION NO.: REVISED:

1. Preamble

Graffiti is the marking and defacement of property without the consent of the owner. This very common form of vandalism can reduce the pride in a community, and can discourage tourists as well as new residents from visiting our town. If graffiti is not removed quickly a building or area will become more unsightly as additional graffiti is added and other problems occur in the general vicinity.

2. Goals

TO ENCOURAGE COMMUNITY PRIDE BY:

1. Raising public awareness of the problems of graffiti through education.

2. Developing mechanisms to discourage graffiti.

3. Encouraging the prompt removal of graffiti from all property (public and private) wherever and whenever possible.

4. Providing guidelines for business owners, utility organizations, residents and public/government organizations for the removal and discouragement of graffiti.

5. Working with the R.C.M.P. to help decrease and discourage graffiti.

3. Policy

3.1 Education

3.1.1 An education program will include the following:  Information regarding what graffiti is, what its effects are in the community and what can be done to remove and prevent it will be provided regularly  Ongoing information will be provided to inform the entire community that the Town is serious about discouraging graffiti, including the use of the Town's website and local newspapers to advertise the program TOWN OF GIBSONS

 Various other governmental and public utility organizations, as well as businesses in the community will be notified annually (i.e via tax/utility notices) that the Town has a policy and encourages immediate clean up of graffiti wherever it occurs  Provide clear and concise procedure for persons to follow regarding what should be done if one sees vandals in the act of defacing property  Minimization techniques including education, surface protection, increased awareness of owners/occupiers of buildings/businesses

3.2 Enforcement/Removal

3.2.1 Graffiti on Town property

a) All staff, including the Bylaw Compliance Officer, will be cognizant of graffiti on Town property, and will report graffiti directly to the Director of Municipal Operations or the Public Works Supervisor. As staff resources permit, graffiti will be removed as promptly as possible from any public property. The RCMP will also be encouraged to report graffiti to the Town's Director of Municipal Operations. The Bylaw Compliance Officer will keep a record of graffiti targets/victims, including photographs and types of graffiti including 'tags'. This information record will be shared on a regular basis with the police.

b) Where at all possible in terms of availability and cost, when surfaces are being re-painted, graffiti resistant paint or other covering will be utilized on all Town owned property.

c) In the case of municipally owned property that is leased to another organization, graffiti removal will be required, and where possible, graffiti removal and prevention techniques will be required in any new lease agreements. TOWN OF GIBSONS

3.2.2 Graffiti on Private Property

Through an education program including regular communications of letters and advertising, residents, business owners, and other governmental organizations will be strongly encouraged:

a) Not to ignore graffiti, but to remove it as soon as is possible

b) To report any acts of graffiti vandalism to the Town of Gibsons staff c) To alert neighbours if graffiti is spotted on their property and encourage them to remove it promptlyIn the event that a private property owner fails to remove graffiti within a reasonable time frame, Town staff will enforce Section 3.6.1 of the Property Maintenance Bylaw and effect the removal of the graffiti at the owner's expense.

3.2.3 Utility Organizations - BC Hydro/Telus

Utilities companies will be notified when graffiti is seen on their property (kiosks, phone booths) and will be strongly encouraged to promptly remove the graffiti.

4. Other Related Bylaws/Policies:

1. Property Maintenance Bylaw No. 780 - Section 3.6.1