Frequently Asked Questions About Brentwood RC
What is a 'dwelling' in this case?
The definition of dwelling is important as it includes a garage attached and/or detached. The RC permits one secondary suite in the dwelling. That means you could have a basement suite OR perhaps convert your garage to a suite (whether it is attached or not). It doesn't stop you from adding an addition onto the back of your house that you may want to suite, as long as it is part of the main dwelling. The important takeaway is that you can only have one secondary suite on your property. This allows for gentle density, if you or a future owner chooses.
What about Carriage suites?
They are not specifically mentioned but fall under the secondary suite of a dwelling. They would be permitted under the RC if you don't already have a basement suite or other secondary suite. You would still have to go through your DP application, and neighbours could object, but the objection would not be based on the RC provided there is no other secondary suite on the property. Carriage suites are a contentious issue. Homes without back lanes are not suitable for carriage suites, and not all properties with back lanes have the required space.
What about the cost of $750 - what does this cover?
Approximately half of this is going to the registration of the RC on your title, and the balance will be held in our Defence Fund. The committee would have liked to charge less, but with the level of participation unknown, the time consuming process of knocking on doors, and the rising costs of legal fees should there ever be a battle, it seemed prudent to charge the same as Varsity and Lakeview. We did not want to charge too little and have to raise it midway through the initiative. If cost is a barrier, please let us know as we have other residents who have offered to help out neighbours. Likewise, if you can pay a little more and want the extra to be set aside for someone who can't afford it, let us know. When remitting payment to Carbert Waite LLP, please make sure you only remit the exact amount of $750 as all those funds go into trust with the law firm. Any donations must be made to our operating account separately.
Is there a payment plan/what if I cannot afford the full amount?
We do have some residents that have offered to help those pay that cannot afford to pay or are on a fixed income. We are currently setting up an account for those monies but please do not let the cost be the barrier. You can also send multiple e-transfers in smaller amounts and when it equals $750, you can proceed to the next steps.
How come the RC doesn't have stipulations of what could be built (size, height, setbacks) and just refers to the bylaws under the Municipal Act?
The city bylaws are ever-evolving, and our needs and desires are also ever evolving. It would have been very difficult to get everyone to agree to what could be built on their lot in the coming 75 years, so to keep it simple, the RC defers to the current city bylaws, whatever those may be for a single detached dwelling on your size of lot. The DTC is committed to working with applicants to make sure future developments are both compliant with the current bylaws and respectful of the environment and neighbouring residents.
What about parking requirements?
The RC cannot control parking on streets as those are municipal lands. New construction of a single detached dwelling will have city bylaws to follow for parking, but most owners will want to have a garage. The garage is defined in the "dwelling" where it can be attached and/or detached to allow for the most flexibility for owners.
There is a lot of legal language!
Yes - it took me a couple of read throughs and some conversations with the lawyer to understand it and ensure it preserved the character and integrity of Charleswood and Brentwood, while still allowing property owners some flexibility to add gentle density to their dwelling. You are welcome to have your lawyer look it over and provide independent advice.
Will there be more meetings?
This was asked quite a few times, and YES, there will be more meetings. The next big community meeting won't be until the fall; however, I encourage you to host your neighbours, maybe your street, in your living room or your backyard, and we can send someone from our committee to answer all your questions. RCs are also about having a conversation on what development works for your area. The RC Initiative is hoping to come up with a second RC for those that may live on traffic corridors that would like the flexibility to build a duplex. If that is something that interests you, please let us know!
I’m ready to proceed. What happens next?
If you are ready to register an RC on title, the next step is to make payment and schedule your signing. In general, there will be one signing date per month and a cutoff for payment 10 days prior to that date. Once you have made payment, send an email to BrentwoodRCyyc@gmail.com with confirmation details, the name of the registered owners, if you are legally married (for Dower Consent, if applicable) and your address and we will send the signup link to sign at the next available date.
What happens at the signing?
For your signing appointment, the owners need to be in attendance with identification. If there is only one person on title and you are legally married, the spouse also needs to attend with ID. Signing appointments take 15-20 minutes and in most circumstances, will be held at the Brentwood community association. If you are unable to get to the community centre, please let us know as we can send a volunteer to your home to witness your signing. If Dower is involved, a lawyer must be the one that does your paperwork but we have some flexibility in making those arrangements for you.