Picture in June 2023 of alleged bylaw infractions for an unsightly Seaway Dr. property in south Parksville. (Submitted photo)

By Ian Holmes

Neighbour conflict

City of Parksville loses unsightly property lawsuit against mayor’s next-door neighbour

Sep 22, 2025 | 5:31 AM

PARKSVILLE — Following years of bylaw visits, senior staff correspondence and legal action, a BC Supreme Court judge sided with the defendants, who happen to live next to Parksville Mayor Doug O’Brien.

Last month, BC Supreme Court justice Douglas Thompson dismissed a City of Parksville civil lawsuit petition requesting various items placed outside a Seaway Dr. home to be cleaned up.

The south Parksville waterfront property is located directly next to mayor O’Brien’s home.

An undetermined amount of legal costs are to be paid by City of Parksville taxpayers to defendants Donald Violette and Jacquie Innes.

City petition

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Filed with the Nanaimo BC Supreme Court registry in September 2023, the City of Parksville commenced litigation after stating prior remedial effort requests set out by City Council were unsuccessful.

Described as “makeshift structures and hazardously erected piles of debris” the City requested the property be levelled and cleaned, arguing the site was considered a nuisance property.

“Since 2021, the respondents have continued to create unsafe conditions and a nuisance by keeping on the property, specifically on the driveway, the perimeter of the house, and adjacent to the house general, the following items.”

• Tarps and covered structures
• Discarded household appliances
• Derelict vehicles
• Garbage and debris

Personal vendetta by mayor O’Brien: respondents

In a May 2024 response to the City’s petition, Violette and Innes contended the entire matter resulted from a personal vendetta by Mayor Doug O’Brien, alleging they had been the victims of harassment prior to purchasing their home.

The response contended O’Brien, then a member of Parksville City Council, conspired with City staff to have their water well removed.

Innes and Violette alleged O’Brien continuously dumped his own yard waste on their property.

The couple stated on top of unsightliness allegations, the mayor reported “a massive number of frivolous alleged violations to bylaw and RCMP officers, regarding how vehicles are parked, location of security cameras and their radio’s volume.

“This entire matter should have been held with use of an objective party, such as an arbitrator, rather than us having to defend ourselves before staff influenced by our accuser. Despite our efforts to argue this conflict of interest, this was ignored.”

The response noted the Innes and Violette had reduced materials in their yard by at least 75 per cent from when the first complaint arose and therefore materials have not accumulated.

“The City uses this catch all phrase against us.”

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