An Oak Bay senior caught without a permit for a finished basement suite was taken to task this week.

"I'm having a hard time with this," Coun. Hazel Braithwaite said at Oak Bay council's Nov. 17 meeting. Fresh from a municipal election win, the councillor has concerns about what seems to be an increasing number of homeowners who "come to us asking for forgiveness rather than permission."

Homeowner Judi Bowman, 64, had applied for a variance for two parking spots in front of her house at 2078 Carnarvon St. In a letter to council, Bowman explained a tertiary issue concerning a door for a basement garage that had been replaced with a conventional door. When the head of Oak Bay's building department visited the site, Roy Thomassen noticed the basement had been finished without a permit and the garage's reduced space could no longer accommodate a vehicle. In her letter Bowman said the basement was finished when she purchased the house in 1984.

Counc. Alan Cassidy tried to assuage Braithwaite's concerns.

"To resolve that internal conflict, look at the application and ask about the work that might have been done with a permit," Cassidy said. An architect, Cassidy focussed on the functionality of the finished basement and whether the requested parking could actually accommodate two vehicles. Which it couldn't, Oak Bay's head of engineering confirmed.

As to the conventional door and "possible suite," Bowman's explanation of a hired handyman who failed to take out proper permits didn't hold credence with council.

"It's beholden on the homeowner to come to council and answer those questions," outgoing Counc. Frank Carson said.

In response to a query from Carson, Thomassen said although the basement had been finished, he couldn't confirm if it was being occupied as a rental suite. That was too vague for Carson.

"I'm uncomfortable with this situation given the secondary suite committee is underway," Carson said. Struck early this spring, the committee made up of councillors and members of the public and chaired by Braithwaite is mandated to investigate the feasibility of legalizing rental suites in Oak Bay.

In the meantime, Bowman, who was not present at the Nov. 17 council meeting, will be asked to appear at an upcoming council meeting to answer questions about the rationale behind her parking variance request. Bowman did not return phone calls from Oak Bay News.

vmoreau@saanichnews.com