SCAOPI
A specific construction, alteration or occupancy proposal for an immovable (SCAOPI) is a regulatory tool that enables the Municipal Council to authorize a project that is at variance with the City’s urban planning by-laws, without it being necessary to modify applicable standards for the particular zone or for the entire territory. Nevertheless, the proposal must be in conformity with the objectives of the City’s Planning Programme. If the project requires demolition in whole or in part, it may be subject to the Demolition By-law.

A Specific Proposal is an exceptional procedure adapted to major projects and those that present complexities inherent to their particular features. In principal, this tool provides a framework for urban development on a case-by-case basis and facilitates the development of problematic sites.
An application for authorization of a Special Proposal is limited to the following:
- the siting, the construction, the extension, or the renovation and redevelopment in respect of a proposal for a residential, multifamily immovable with six (6) or more units, a commercial immovable, an institutional immovable or a combination of at least two (2) of the aforementioned uses.
- the extension or the alteration of a non-conforming building or the establishment of a non-conforming development on a site.
- the reconversion or change of use of a building.
- the replacement of a variant use protected by vested rights by another variant use.
An application for authorization of a SCAOPI must be preceded by a preliminary study conducted by the City of Westmount’s Urban Planning Department.
The City Council may grant or refuse an application for authorization of a proposal submitted to it pursuant to the By-law only after it has received the opinion of the departments concerned and of the Planning Advisory Committee (PAC). In addition to the requirement to consider Planning Programme objectives, the application for authorization of a Special Proposal will be assessed in accordance with the following criteria:
- conformity with the general volume, height, siting and density of the existing and proposed constructions on the land and, integration into the built environment;
- conservation and enhancement of the original architectural elements:
- preservation of a heritage building;
- enhancement of the immovable and the neighbouring sectors with careful and adapted landscaping treatment and high quality construction;
- impact on the urban environment
- ecological design and integration of sustainable environmental features
- quality of the functional organization of the proposal
- balance between individual and collective interests
- advantages of the cultural and social components of the proposal
A project submitted for SCAOPI must obtain a satisfactory evaluation grid for its approval at City Council. Generally, a satisfactory grid consists of criteria with “High” or “Very High” levels of consideration.
Given the derogatory nature of a special project, it is important that all concerned parties (owner, neighbours, city) must benefit from an improvement upon the current situation or at the very least not experience any additional inconvenience.
APPLICATION
To apply for a SCAOPI or to inquire about the procedure, please contact the Urban Planning Department of the City of Westmount.
RECENT OR ONGOING APPLICATIONS
Application SCAOPI
- Letter of presentation
- Certificate of location
- Architectural Plans and sun study
- Traffic study
- Geothechnical Study
- Timetable
- Estimate of the costs
- Audio of the public meeting and presentation to PAC
- Resident feedback
1. Filing of application | November 25th, 2019 |
2. Public notice | January 14th, 2020 (city website) |
January 14th, 2020 (Independent) | |
3. Board of inspections | January 23rd, 2020 |
4. Public meeting and presentation to PAC | January 28th, 2020 |
5. Translation and publication of public meeting minutes | Week of February 10th, 2020 |
6. Deadline for written comments | February 14th, 2020 |
7. PAC review(s) | Starting February 25th |
8. Translation and publication of PAC meeting minutes | To be determined |
9. PAC recommendation | To be determined |
10. Presentation General Committee of Council | To be determined |
11. Decision – City Council (1st reading) | To be determined |
12. Public notice and posting | If applicable |
Public consultation | If applicable |
13. Decision – City Council (2nd reading) | If applicable |
14. Public notice for opening of registry | If applicable |
15. Filing period for opening of registry requests | If applicable |
16. Resolution by City council (3rd reading) | If applicable |
17. Registry | If applicable |
18. Deposit of certificate of registry results to City Council |
If applicable |
- Public notice
- Application SCAOPI
- Public presentation meeting: detailed minutes
- Revisions – Landscaping and signage – September 2019
- Minutes of the PAC of March 12, April 24, July 16, August 6 and September 17 + evaluation grid
1. Filing of application | February 14th, 2019 |
2. Public notice | February 26th, 2019 (city website) |
February 26th, 2019 (Independent) | |
3. Board of inspections | March 7th, 2019 |
4. Public meeting and presentation to PAC | March 12th, 2019 |
5. Translation and publication of public meeting minutes | Week of March 25, 2019 |
6. Deadline for written comments | March 29th, 2019 |
7. PAC review(s) | Starting April 9, 2019 |
8. Translation and publication of PAC meeting minutes | Starting April 23, 2019 |
9. PAC recommendation | September 17, 2019 |
10. Presentation General Committee of Council | October 7, 2019 |
11. Decision – City Council (1st reading) | November 4, 2019 |
12. Public notice and posting | November 12, 2019 |
Public consultation | November 20, 2019 |
13. Decision – City Council (2nd reading) | December 2, 2019 |
14. Referendum procedure | If applicable – mid-January, 2020 |
15. Public notice for opening of registry | If applicable – mid-January, 2020 |
16. Period to submit applications for opening of registry | If applicable – End of January, 2020 |
17. Resolution by City council (3rd reading) | February, 2020 |
18. Send to the agglomeration for certificate | If applicable |
- Public notice
- Application SCAOPI part I
- Application SCAOPI part II
- Audio of the public presentation
- Revision 1 – July 2019
- Revision 2 – August 2019
- Revision 3 – September 2019
- PAC Minutes and evaluation grid
- January 22, 2020 public consultation’s presentation
- Written consultation
1. Filing of application | March 12, 2019 |
2. Public notice | April 16, 2019 (city website) |
April 16, 2019 (Independent) | |
3. Board of inspections | May 2, 2019 |
4. Public meeting and presentation to PAC | May 7, 2019 |
5. Publication of audio of public meeting | Week of May 20, 2019 |
6. Deadline for written comments | May 24, 2019 |
7. PAC review(s) | Starting June 4, 2019 |
8. Translation and publication of PAC meeting minutes | Starting July 2, 2019 |
9. PAC recommendation | November 26, 2019 |
10. Presentation General Committee of Council | December 2, 2019 |
11. Decision – City Council (1st reading) | December 2, 2019 |
12. Public notice, posting | January 14, 2020 |
Public consultation | January 22, 2020 |
13. Decision – City Council (2nd reading) | February 3, 2020 |
14. Referendum procedure | Starting February 11, 2020 |
15. Public notice for opening of registry | February 11, 2020 |
16. Period to submit applications for opening of registry | February 11 to February 19, 2020 |
17. Resolution by City council (3rd reading) | March 16, 2020 |
18. Replacement of the referendum procedure by written consultation | April 6, 2020 |
19. Public notice for the written consultation | April 14, 2020 |
20. End of the written consultation | April 29, 2020 |
21. Final resolution of the Council | To be determined/If applicable |
22. Send to the agglomeration for certificate | To be determined/If applicable |
- Public notice
- Description of the proposal and architectural plans
- Traffic study
- Wind study
- Cost estimate
- Timeline
- Heritage study
- Inventory of existing building materials
- Inspection of structural elements of the existing building
- Professional structural integrity report
- Resident feedback
1. Filing of application | December 17, 2019 |
2. Public notice | January 28, 2020 (city website) |
January 28, 2020 (Independent) | |
3. Board of inspections | February 6, 2020 |
4. Public meeting and presentation to PAC | February 11, 2020 |
5. Translation and publication of public meeting minutes | Week of February 17, 2020 |
6. Deadline for written comments | February 28, 2020 |
7. PAC review(s) | Starting March 10 |
8. Translation and publication of PAC meeting minutes | To be determined |
9. PAC recommendation | To be determined |
10. Presentation General Committee of Council | To be determined |
11. Decision – City Council (1st reading) | To be determined |
12. Public notice, posting | If applicable |
Public consultation | If applicable |
13. Decision – City Council (2nd reading) | If applicable |
14. Public notice for opening of registry | If applicable |
15. Filing period for opening of registry requests | If applicable |
16. Resolution by City council | If applicable |
17. Registry | If applicable |
18. Deposit of certificate of registry results to City Council | If applicable |
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