Mervit and her husband, Wayne, chose to build a home in the north west Edmonton neighbourhood of Starling because, as she describes it, it's "pretty." And the couple hasn't changed their opinion since they moved in.
But the couple does acknowledge the new neighbourhood can look a little messy sometimes.
"...the trash doesn’t look good,” she said.
It's something city councillor Andrew Knack admits isn't a new problem for the city. Knack was recently canvassing a neighbourhood just west of Starling where residents had similar concerns.
“It’s definitely frustrating, and I hear it from time to time in different communities,” Knack said.
But the trash left behind by homebuilders, muddy streets and icy sidewalks can be more than just an eyesore – it can cause problems to some homeowners in the area.
“We actually had a flood all the way up the street because of the mess that the developers were making in front of our house,” Dave Johnson said.
While some residents in the Starling neighbourhood are concerned over the mess left behind, Mervit is not sure if it is an issue he should report to the city.
“We do tend to see a lot of construction equipment left behind and garbage, debris flying all over,” Mervit said. “But not sure if that’s the norm, or if that’s poor housekeeping [by the builders].”
Councillor Knack encourages concerned residents to file a complaint.
“If somebody is sort of on the fence – ‘is it that bad that I should do something about this?’ If you’re at that point, I would suggest that the answer is yes and it’s time to call 311 to put in a formal complaint.”
A bylaw officer will visit a property after a complaint is filed, and Knack is working with the bylaw office to make it easier for residents in neighbourhoods like Starling to report multiple violations.
With files from Taylor Oseen
