Wondering what the Town’s Bylaw team has been up to this year? Here’s a quick update on what we’ve been working on and what’s coming next.
Responsible Pet Ownership: We’ve been busy preparing a draft Responsible Pet Owner and Animal Control Bylaw. So far, it’s been reviewed by legal, local experts, and the BC SPCA. We’re aiming to bring the bylaw forward to Council this fall, along with a public education campaign. Stay tuned!
Bear Bins & Attractants: Our Bear Aware Coordinator, Jenni Barrera, is back for her second season. She’s been working with our Bylaw Officer and local Conservation Officer to reduce attractants and promote coexistence, helping keep wildlife wild and our community safe.
Watering Restrictions: Thanks to a wet spring, we’ve seen very few watering infractions this year. Our team continues to monitor and patrol water use based on weather conditions to reduce system pumping requirements and make sure the Town can maintain adequate reservoir storage for firefighting purposes.
Downtown Parking Patrols: You may have noticed an increase in foot patrols downtown this season. These patrols aren’t just about enforcement, they’re about connecting with people and understanding community needs as part of our commitment to education and helping to promote a safe and harmonious community. We've had great conversations with residents and visitors, gathering valuable data about parking behaviours in the downtown core to help inform future Council priorities.
Looking ahead:
Every year, staff bring forward recommended priorities for bylaw education and enforcement for Council’s consideration. Based on those discussions, this year’s key areas of focus for late summer and fall include:
- Continued water use monitoring. Not sure when to water? Visit golden.ca/watering
- Ongoing Bear Aware program support. Learn more about living with wildlife at golden.ca/livingwithwildlife
- Monitoring of parking and illegal camping in the municipality. Learn more about parking in Golden at golden.ca/parking
- Working with our Public Works team to make sure streets and alleyways are clear and accessible for crews to carry out their fall and winter duties.
- The Town has processed 101 short term rental (STR) applications since December 2024 and has licensed 87 B&B and STR operators so far. Education and enforcement will ramp up this fall/winter.
At the Town, we take an education-first approach to encourage voluntary compliance before ticketing. If you see our bylaw officer out and about, feel free to say hello and ask any questions you might have about Bylaw.
Check out our Bylaw reports to Council: