A couple from Laval fears they will be on the streets on July 1st due to processing times and numerous bureaucratic pitfalls.
“At the beginning of March we met a city planner who told us that we should soon receive planning permission for our new house. But more than a month and a half later, we are being told that we finally have to approve our project and that there are further delays,” complains Brigitte Chénier, a resident of Laval.
The latter and her partner were happy to find a house in the neighborhood they had been eyeing for a long time.
But given the size of the project, estimated at $250,000 and involving adding one story to the one-story home, it will ultimately need to be approved by the City of Laval Planning Board.
“Harmony”
After finally contacting a city planner, the person in charge of the file rejected the couple's original project, which didn't fit with the homes in the neighborhood.
“We are told that the house is too big, that the color of the cladding doesn't match, that the direction of the cladding doesn't match, that the windows are too big or too small,” frets Ms Chénier, who believes that his house would still “highlight the beauty” of the area.
The original plan of the house that Brigitte Chénier and her partner Gilles Rivest wanted to make was categorically rejected by the urban planner of the city of Laval in charge of the file. Photo provided by Brigitte Chénier
For example, instead of vertical covering, the city planner requires horizontal covering, like the neighboring houses. The house must also retain the architectural “features” of the buildings in the neighborhood.
“We wanted a Scandinavian style but were encouraged to stay in California,” Ms. Chénier explains.
Result: Work does not begin and the couple fears they will have to spend several weeks in a hotel as their house will not be ready by July 1, the date they must vacate their current accommodation.
The couple therefore gave in to many wishes and their dream home is far from what they had imagined.
The final plan of the house of Brigitte Chénier and her partner Gilles Rivest, approved by the urban planner. Photo provided by Brigitte Chénier
“Even if the project is approved, we won't be able to move there in a month,” says Ms. Chénier, who is looking for a place to store her furniture in the meantime.
The mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer, recalls that normative and qualitative codes must be respected to ensure that projects are respected.
“We need to ensure that what we build today are buildings that will age well and integrate with the rest of the neighborhood. For me it is a question of the neighborhood, but also that the neighborhoods remain attractive for future families,” he explains, without commenting on Ms. Chénier’s specific file.
Joël Lemay / QMI Agency
Additional costs
In addition, delays and requests for changes cause significant additional costs.
“With all the changes that are being asked of us, we will spend $25,000 to $30,000 more on additional fees and hotel stays just because the city planner in charge of the file decides everything about our house,” complains Ms. Chénier.
For his part, Mayor Boyer admits that current processing times are a problem.
“I’m obviously not happy with the city’s processing times. It is clear to me that we need to make improvements here and that is also an instruction that I gave. “Citizens must have clear answers quickly,” he demands.
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