St. James wildlife feeder ordered to clean up yard
A St. James woman has been ordered to clean up her backyard after a Winnipeg city council's appeals committee determined the food she's putting out for birds constitutes a public nuisance.
In November, the city's community services department informed Booth neighbourhood resident Debra Belcourt she violated the city's Neighbourhood Liveability Bylaw by keeping a "squirrel feeder" as well as bundles of branches and scrap wood on her property.
Calling her property a nuisance and unsanitary, the city ordered Belcourt to ensure her yard is free of infestations of "insects, rats, mice and other pests or vermin" or anything that "provides or may provide food or harbourage for pest or vermin."
Belcourt appealed, saying the feeder is intended for birds. At a hearing on Monday morning, councillors Mike Pagtakhan (Point Douglas), John Orlikow (River Heights-Fort Garry) and Ross Eadie (Mynarski) voted unanimously to deny her appeal on the basis of complaints from neighbours about crows, mice and squirrels attracted to her yard.
Belcourt will be allowed to keep her bird feeders, provided she keeps her yard clean, bylaw enforcement manager Winston Yee told the committee.
She said she's already removed the wood from her yard and will work to keep it clean
"There has to be a balance in the community and it looks like she's working toward that," Eadie said.
Pagtakhan read letters from neighbours who complained of damage to sheds, attics and gardens from wildlife attracted to Belcourt's yard.
