After-the-fact permit apps annoy

Sylvan Lane reno proves problematic

It's got a dungeon beneath the garage, a runaway lane for a driveway and a suicide balcony.

The house at 63 Sylvan Ln. would have made a great Halloween renovation horror story, except its owners appeared before Oak Bay council this week instead of last.

"I would fear for someone coming down that driveway on a cold, frosty night," Coun. Allan Cassidy said.

Homeowners Olivia Dam and Darren Behn felt the same way and appeared before council to ask for variance approvals on renovations to their 100-plus year old house. The request primarily related to a below-grade storage room underneath a garage. The couple wanted the OK to build 875 sq. ft. of extra space underneath a garage as a place to park cars in bad weather, as a way to avoid the steep driveway.

They had already been approved for two variances for a top-floor dormer and deck extension earlier this year.

Even though they were using a professional contractor to do the work, somehow the garage construction went awry. The garage with below ground storage was framed in before approval had been issued.

That's a common scenario in Oak Bay said a clearly peeved Coun. Hazel Braithwaite.

"There has to be trust between the municipality, the owner and the builder," she said.

Coun. Nils Jensen also voiced concerns about due process being ignored.

After council members visited the Sylvan Lane property in October, it was discovered that a top-floor balcony slated to be 18 inches deep - sometimes called a suicide balcony - had been built out to four feet instead.

"You don't know how this came to be?" Jensen asked the owners, who claimed a carpenter had taken it upon himself to extend the balcony.

Although a variance had not been requested for it, the balcony prompted a rather heated discussion. Coun. John Herbert tried to tamp the flames, pointing out "it was a fairly minor balcony."

Jensen fired back "My concern is the process."

After 45 minutes of debate, council voted 6-1 in favour of approving the variances requested, pending input from neighbours.

vmoreau@saanichnews.com

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