Landscaping

• Did you read the guidelines for renovating and building?
• Did you read guideline # 6 concerning landscaping
• Do you know in which zone your property is located?
• Did you read By-law #1303 concerning Zoning?
• Did you read By-law #1391 concerning Building?
• Did you read By-law #1387 concerning Noise?

Generally speaking, if your project affects the exterior of the property, it is subject to the Site Planning and Architectural Integration Program (SPAIP) by-law and must be approved by City Council. However, restoration work on the original architectural components and identical replacement work are excluded. (By-law1305 to the SPAIP).

Process of an application subject to the SPAIP by-law

Prerequisites for application analysis:
Mandatory documents are marked with an asterisk (*)

• *A letter describing the scope of the work;
• *A letter from the owner authorizing the application, if the application is submitted by a third party;
• *A letter from the condominium association authorizing the proposed modification;
• *A copy of a recent and up-to-date location certificate representing the current state of the property;
• *Clear and color photos of the existing condition of the site;
• *An official quote with color photos of all material samples and plant specifications, if applicable;
• *A site plan indicating existing and proposed conditions, dimensioned and to scale, detailing the calculation of percentages of vegetative and mineral ground cover as well as land occupation. The following elements must also be indicated on the plan, if applicable:
  • Setbacks;
  • Property lines;
  • Planted areas;
  • Walkways (pedestrian and vehicular);
  • Parking areas;
  • Location of mechanical units;
  • Hedges and fences;
• *Cross-sectional and longitudinal sections of the pool indicating depth, structure, and topography up to property boundaries;
• A stormwater management strategy demonstrating that the volume of rainwater runoff after construction does not exceed that existing before the project; 
• An official quote from the contractor including the detailed cost of the proposed work, before taxes.

If the proposal involves topographical changes impacting neighboring properties, additional cross-sectional plans passing through property boundaries and neighboring properties may be required.

Additional documents
The following additional documents are required depending on the interventions planned for the project:

Retaining wall:

• *Clear and color photos of the conditions or existing wall(s) and context;
• *A dimensioned and to-scale site plan indicating property lines and the location of the retaining wall;
• *If the wall exceeds 3'-0" in height or is not dry stone, a detailed section of the wall structure, signed and sealed by an engineer;
• *Clear and color photos of samples or a quote for the proposed materials; 
• A dimensioned section illustrating the topography of existing and proposed site conditions, indicating the height(s) of the wall.

Mechanical unit (water heater, heat pump, spa):

• A copy of a recent and up-to-date location certificate representing the current state of the property, identifying the location of the mechanical unit in relation to property boundaries;
• A quote for the mechanical unit including the noise level in decibels (dB); Dimensioned and to-scale drawings of the visual screen, if applicable.

Fence and hedge:

• *Clear and color photos of existing conditions;
• *Elevations illustrating fence details, height, and opacity percentage calculation; and materials;
• *A dimensioned and to-scale site plan indicating property lines and the location of the proposed fence and/or hedge;
• *Samples or a quote for exterior materials, and plant specifications.

This list is a summary. Please note that any other document and information may be required for a better understanding of the project and to assist in processing the application (By-law 1300 on permits and certificates).

Once all the necessary information is gathered, you can submit your application online or in person at the Urban Planning Department at City Hall.

• The applicable fees include the file analysis fees. Please note that the fees related to the issuance of the permit or authorization certificate, if applicable, will be added to this amount.
• The cost of the permit or authorization certificate, if applicable, is calculated based on the cost of the work.

Consult the tariffs by-law for up-to-date rates.

Once the application has been reviewed, the applicant will receive a follow-up by email. 

Even if the application has been authorized, the issuance of the permit or certificate, if applicable, is not automatic; the applicable fees must be paid and certain documents must be submitted. 

An official quote from the contractor including the detailed cost of the proposed work, before taxes, must be submitted.