City of Kelowna being investigated by B.C. Ombudsperson
The City of Kelowna is being investigated by the B.C. Ombudsperson Office over its effort to demolish a nuisance property.
The City has been trying for more than a decade to get the property cleaned up and ordered it destroyed in July 2021. The property is not only an eyesore for neighbours, but the city considers it unsafe as well.
Owner Janusz Grelecki has avoided the wrecking ball by filing a a claim in court to get the city of back off and now it appears he got another stay from the Ombudsperson.
“Mr. Grelecki made a formal complaint to the B.C. Ombudsperson Office (which caused an emergent investigation from that office) in which we have been collectively working through in exercising due care,” the City of Kelowna said in an email.
Grelecki dropped his lawsuit last August and the city said it was going to push ahead to get the work done. City staff have noted “numerous life safety concerns for the property’s occupants, adjacent property owners and the general public.”
READ MORE: 'Unsafe' Kelowna home has date with a wrecking ball
“Mr. Grelecki, via agents and a structural engineer, had proposed correcting the deficiencies to the property and was seeking permitting from the city to carry out this work,” the email from the city says. “After careful consideration, this was denied by the city’s counsel (and) building department. Council’s order is non-negotiable by city staff and a ‘stop work order’ has been posted on the property.”
Complaints against Grelecki date back as far as 2004 when he was a tenant on a nearby property.
In that case, the city hired a contractor who hauled five dump truck loads of material away, including a dozen old vehicles.
He moved to the property at 424 Gibson Road in 2010 and the complaints started shortly after. There have been at least two dozen for unsightly premises, construction-related traffic, solid waste storage and construction noise, among others.
Grelecki told iNFOnews.ca in July 2021 that he was expanding and renovating the house. He had been accumulating the material to do that work and just needed time to finish the job.
READ MORE: iN PHOTOS: Owner of ‘unsafe’ house in Kelowna will fight the city in the hopes of saving his home
Prior to the 2021 order, the city tried fines and setting weekly goals for Grelecki to clean up his yard, to no avail.
That’s why the city is refusing to grant building permits for new work to be done.
The timeline the city set was for Grelecki to apply for a demolition permit within 14 days.
But when the 14-day time period begins seems to be in the hands of the Ombudsperson.
If the demolition order does go through, he has to remove all personal contents from in and around the building within 42 days and remove hazardous materials within 60 days.
The house, including foundation, decks, swimming pool, retaining and landscape walls, temporary structures, vehicles, equipment, imported material and earth fill were to be removed within 120 days. After that, the lot has to be regraded and planted with native grass and plants.
Failing to do any of that work means the city can hire a contractor to go in and complete the demolition.
READ MORE: Kelowna city council sticks to its guns; demands unsafe house be demolished
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