The 99 Symmes Street case

“Aylmer’s planning services are overstretched” – Richard Bégin

According to Richard Bégin, Deschênes councillor and chair of Gatineau’s Urban Planning Advisory Committee (Comité consultatif d'urbanisme - CCU), the 99 Symmes Street file will be on the agenda for the next CCU meeting on March 21.

“This means it will not be brought to the municipal council until its April meeting,” he added. “Since the planning services are overstretched, they were unable to prepare the project analysis in time for the February 15 CCU meeting,” explained Mr Bégin.

The homeowners deposited their documents at the local planning department in June and followed all the appropriate steps. Their file was finalized by the local planning department on January 21, 2016. The homeowners, who worried for the safety of pedestrians walking by their dangerous balcony, had hoped that their file would have been treated faster by the local planning department.

Mr Bégin explained that perhaps the delay in treating the 99 Symmes Street file was longer than what the homeowners expected because it is somewhat unique and involves the study of many elements.

For example, in addition to the application to demolish the unsafe balcony, coupled with the dormer replacement project, the home is associated with a built heritage funding request.

Furthermore, the owners must apply for a minor variance because they will replace the exterior siding with a 100% wood siding and the bylaw in that neighbourhood requires 50% masonry, a request that must be approved by the CCU and municipal council.

“This restoration work is subject to the Architectural implementation and integration plan (AIIP) regulations for that neighbourhood,” specified Mr Bégin.

The Deschênes councillor, who is a strong heritage advocate, explained that the neighbourhood (between Broad and Frank-Robinson, Principale and Brook streets) requested the AIIP in the 1990s after some new houses that didn’t fit in the existing environment were built.

“It is that kind of AIIP that could have prevented, for example, the 79 Fraser Road or the 142 Cochrane Road issues in other neighbourhoods. This is why it (99 Symmes Street) must be reviewed by the CCU and council, which would not have been the case for a house in a neighbourhood without an AIIP, such as the Plateau,” noted Mr Bégin.

Furthermore, as Mr Bégin explained, even if 99 Symmes Street is not listed as a heritage home, it is located near heritage buildings, such as Christ Church, and must therefore go through many steps.

“In fact, all buildings between 87 and 104 Symmes Street are included on the list of buildings that are part of the Aylmer Heritage Site which encompasses rue Principale (with 80 buildings). Therefore, this in itself is a third reason why the proposed work at 99 Symmes Street must be closely studied by our services and submitted to the CCU and to municipal council for approval.”