West Vancouver Council will consider imposing a formal remedial action requirement on the owner of a severely deteriorated home at 6507 Nelson Avenue at its March 9, 2026, meeting. The requirement, if approved, would compel the registered owner, Yvonne Gabriele Mischke, to apply for a demolition permit and tear down the building within 30 days of receiving it.
The Council will also consider requiring the removal of all materials and refuse accumulated on the exterior of the property within 30 days of the resolution being sent to the owner, the District report stated.
The matter is coming before council after more than a decade of bylaw complaints, failed voluntary compliance efforts, and a September 2025 inspection that revealed dangerous structural deficiencies, fire hazards, mould, vermin infestation, and floor-to-ceiling accumulations of garbage and debris inside and outside the building. According to the District staff report, the situation has escalated to the point where staff believes demolition is the only viable option.
Inspection Reveals Severe Structural and Fire Hazards
A structural engineer from Rockingham Engineering Limited, present during the September 10 inspection, identified multiple critical deficiencies. Load-bearing walls on both the front and rear of the structure showed advanced rot, settlement, and outward tilting.
The first-floor deck and stairs were deemed an imminent collapse hazard. Roof failures had caused extensive water damage, and the exterior chimney was found unstable and unable to resist seismic loads.
According to the District staff report, the West Vancouver Fire Department determined the property posed a significant fire risk. The building was vacant, unsecured, and contained no working smoke alarms. All exits were obstructed, and large accumulations of combustible materials filled both the interior and exterior.
The fire department has since flagged the property in its systems, indicating crews would pursue defensive operations only in any emergency response.
Decade of Failed Compliance Efforts Precedes Escalation
The district first received complaints about the property in 2013. Since then, bylaw staff, fire prevention officers, police, and provincial agencies made repeated attempts to secure voluntary compliance. A tiered remediation plan was agreed upon in 2014, and the owner completed some early tasks — but compliance lapsed and conditions worsened.
A district-contracted cleanup in July 2021 reached only about 10 percent completion after the owner became uncooperative on-site, staff noted. Further notices, orders, and bylaw tickets issued between 2021 and 2024 produced little remediation. In December 2025, the district posted a Do Not Occupy notice and had BC Hydro disconnect power to the property.
If the Council approves the order, the owner will have 14 days to request reconsideration in writing. Should she miss any required deadline, staff would be authorized to carry out the work and recover costs directly from her.
