Town passes consolidated nuisance, occupancy bylaws

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Sussex council passed three new bylaws Monday as part of what Mayor Marc Thorne called the town’s continued “housekeeping” work post-amalgamation.

Bylaws governing nuisance, dangerous or unsightly premises and maintenance and occupancy standards passed third reading Monday and were enacted. Thorne said those bylaws replaced the separate bylaws that would have been maintained by both the town and the former village of Sussex Corner before local government reforms took effect in January 2023.

“They’re not coming up because they’re new, they’re coming up because we are consolidating them as a result of the governance reform,” he said. “Their content hasn’t really changed much from what existed previously.”

The nuisance bylaw has rules around noise levels that are “likely to cause a nuisance or otherwise disturb the peace and tranquility of the inhabitants of Sussex,” the bylaw reads. The bylaw regulates motor vehicle, power tools and public address systems, bans skateboarding on sidewalks and blocking streets and sidewalks, and carries fines from $140 to $2,100, increasing for subsequent offences.

The occupancy standards bylaw requires residents to keep dwellings in a “reasonably clean, sanitary and safe” condition, with requirements including cooking facilities, plumbing, sanitary facilities, garbage, fire protection, yards, access to exits and other standards. Occupants can be issued an order to comply, with breaches of an order subject to a maximum $1,000 fine.

The dangerous or unsightly premises bylaw requires owners not to allow “ashes, junk, rubbish or refuge,” derelict vehicles and dilapidated buildings on their properties and not let buildings or other structures “become a hazard to the safety of the public.” Bylaw officers are to give a notice and can issue fines of $1,000 or as set by provincial legislation for failure to comply with the notice, as well as issue orders to clean the property or demolish a building.

Thorne said the new bylaws were “very similar” to the previous bylaws and “the public should experience absolutely no change as a result.”

The town is also reviewing its zoning bylaws and municipal plan to combine the town and village as part of amalgamation, with council’s administration committee discussing a draft at its March 14 meeting, according to minutes.

“We’re working through that now,” Thorne said. “We’re not making any sweeping changes to the municipal plan, just doing what we need to to consolidate the two.”

Sussex had consultations in August as part of the plan review, Brunswick News previously reported. The town’s last municipal plan was completed in 2021, and the village’s plan was last consolidated in 2014.

The plan is going back for revisions in advance of the first formal draft and will be presented for public comment in time to be enacted in June, according to the minutes.