Council put the finishing touches on the community standards bylaw on Tuesday, May 18, and passed the document through final readings by a 5-1 vote, Councillor Gary Taje opposed.
Mayor John Irwin presented one last amendment for the bylaw that he requested council consider. His amendment would allow engine replacement work on a vehicle to take place outside of a garage if a permit were purchased from the municipality.
His amendment suggested a four-week permit for a $50 fee. Councillor Ian MacLeod suggested changing this to a two-week permit for $20, and Councillor Dean Ward added that no further extensions would be granted after the two-week permit period. Council agreed to all of this, and the amendment was included in the bylaw.
CAO Gordon Lundy that one subsection of the bylaw should be removed. The section in question states that a property can be considered unsightly if it has "significant fading, chipping or peeling of painted areas or deterioration of the exterior of buildings, structures or improvements on the Property."

He said that he feels this places too much subjectivity in the hands of the bylaw officer, and that the municipality wouldn't be able to enforce a rule making people paint their houses.
Councillor Dean Ward agreed that it was subjective, but contended that many other things in the bylaw were subjective as well.
Councillor Gary Taje took the opposite stance. He said that everyone needs a place to live in that they can afford, and that there are people in the Crowsnest Pass living under the poverty line who would find it difficult to afford to paint their entire house.
Councillor Cole argued that if council took out that subsection, people would never be motivated to clean up their property. "They're not invalids," he said. "They should be getting out and cleaning their yards."
"The community is a mess," agreed Councillor Ward. He said that lots of people on low incomes still have very nice yards, and that he doesn't buy financial hardship as an excuse in most cases.
The bylaw passed both second and third readings by 5-1 votes, Councillor Taje opposed.