NANAIMO — Songs playing loudly on repeat for hours, profanities and insults shouted day and night, and multiple floodlights permanently activated have led to a nuisance property designation for a central Nanaimo home.
The actions of the tenant living at 2212 Meredith Rd., located in the Northfield neighbourhood off Bowen Rd., were described by bylaw officers as an “attempt to threaten, agitate, demoralize and rob neighbours of peace.”
A neighbour who lives behind the nuisance property, told NanaimoNewsNOW the trouble with the occupant began shortly after he moved in.
“It was two years of hell. He’s bats*** crazy. Having to listen to music…the same song (Beautiful Day by U2) on a loop for seven, eight hours a day.”
The neighbour said the man would yell remarks such as “don’t lose any sleep” and “have a good night everybody” and profanities after playing music loudly outdoors, sometimes until three in the morning.
The property was given the designation during a Nov. 21 Nanaimo Special Council meeting, citing complaints over at least a year of noise and multiple outdoor floodlights shining brightly on neighbouring homes at all hours of the day and night.
Neither the property owner nor the current tenant were at the meeting to comment on the designation.
The nuisance property designation allows the City to bill the property owners for municipal services with a starting rate of $250.00 per attendance. That includes bylaw service, RCMP, fire, building inspectors or members of the public works, plus an additional 10 per cent for contracted services added on to their actual cost.
Neighbours say the floodlights at 2212 Meredith Rd. have been on 24/7 since the tenant moved in, with additional lights activated by motion sensor. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)Complaints started in Aug. 2023, with neighbours reporting the male resident would sit in the backyard and play music at high volume until 2 a.m., clearly audible to his immediate neighbours.
A second complaint that month mentioned the installation of multiple floodlights in the backyard directed into the yards of adjacent homes, projecting “blinding” light in their direction all night.
Neighbours also reported a mirror was placed in the backyard, reflecting the floodlights to cover all sides of the house.
“He lets his car alarm go off at 2 or 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning, and he does it over and over and over again,” said another neighbour. “He does it on purpose I’m quite sure.”
They said the man would return home and turn on his car alarm before going inside, allowing it to cycle a few times before turning it off. Neighbours said the alarm would go off a few more times overnight prior to sunrise.
Neighbours said they have only seen the tenant in person a handful of times, with no face-to-face interactions. They also said he has done no outdoor maintenance or yard work on the property since moving in.
A third complaint in June 2024 reported the noise and lights were continuing, prompting the bylaw department to send letters to the resident warning of future enforcement action if the disturbances continued.
A fourth complaint in Aug. 2024 from multiple people said the noise and lights were escalating, with one neighbour providing sound and video files to bylaw officers.
A neighbour who lives across Meredith Rd. from the nuisance property had to install a wooden fence to block the floodlights from shining through his bedroom window. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)“He has those lights on night and day,” said the neighbour with the wooden fence. “I get up in the morning cause I’m retired and I have to be careful how I open the drapes cause otherwise I’ll be watching the morning news and the light will be in my eyes….when it gets dark it’s worse. We’re just making due right now, we had to get blackout curtains for the one bedroom.”
The neighbour said the nuisance house also has an alarm system which he describes as a “siren” and “Second World War type stuff.”
“I just think it’s inconsiderate. There’s nothing we can do about it legally, but just keep quiet. And he sneaks in and backs up his vehicle and it’s like he’s being spied on.”
Bylaw has issued 12 tickets related to noise coming from the home and has spoken to the property owner and informed them about the complaints.
The Nanaimo RCMP have been contacted at least three times, but have not taken any enforcement action at the property.
Neighbours said the music issues were mostly in the summer months and have since ceased since bylaw officers issued the tickets, and the floodlights in the backyard have been removed while the lights out front remain on.
NanaimoNewsNOW attempted to speak in person with the resident at 2212 Meredith Rd. multiple times, but were unable to get a response.
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jordan@nanaimonewsnow
On Twitter: @JordanDHeyNOW
