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Outdoor landscaping and installations

Outdoor landscaping and installations

The Ville de Saint-Lambert regulates outdoor landscaping and installations. This page gives you an overview of the main provisions in the by-law.

Front yard

The totality of a front yard, with the exception of access aisles to the building or to the parking area, must be dealt with as a treated area.

Landscaping

No hedge, fence, berm, or other form of landscaping may be installed on the first 60 cm (24 in.) of the property adjacent to the sidewalk or the curb. That section of land must remain level with the sidewalk or the curb.

No landscaping or filling work that raises the level of the land more than 60 cm (24 in.) above the level of the centre of the street may be carried out.

Visibility triangle

The following are prohibited within the visibility triangle:

  • Any construction, fence, hedge, berm, or other form of landscaping that exceeds 75 cm (29.5 in.) in height, relative to the street level;
  • Any terrace
Triangle de visibilité pour les aménagements extérieurs

Definition

The entire area used for parking motor vehicles, including the parking spaces, the manoeuvring areas for entering and exiting the spaces, and the access aisles between the parking spaces, the manoeuvring areas, and the street.

Layout

All circulation aisles and parking areas must be paved. The parking area must not take up more than 50% of the area in the front yard or 33% in the case of a row house. In the case of a corner lot, the vehicular access (curb cut) must not be located less than 7.5 m (24.7 ft.) from the point at which the street rights-of-way intersect.

Number of driveways

Only one driveway is permitted for a property less than 24 m (78.8 ft.) wide. For wider lots, a maximum of two driveways is permitted. They may be arranged in a semi-circle or adjacent to one another. If the property fronts on more than one street, these standards apply for each front.

Width

A driveway may not be wider than 6.1 m (20 ft.). Where permitted, the combined width of adjacent driveways may not exceed 12 m (39.4 ft.).

The width of a parking space with an adjoining pedestrian walkway is determined by the width of the curb cut. Therefore, a driveway that includes a walkway may not be arranged vis-à-vis the slopes of the curb cut.

If you wish to modify a parking space that would require the alteration of a curb cut, you may submit a request to alter a curb cut. You will be required to pay all applicable fees. No alterations may be made on sidewalks less than 5 years old.

Siting of air conditioners and heat pumps

It is permitted to install an air conditioner or a heat pump at ground level in the front yard, the secondary front yard (excluding the front setback), the side yard, or the back yard, at least 2 m (6.6 ft.) from any property line.

Height

A unit may not exceed 1.2 m (3.9 ft.) in height, and it must be screened from the street by vegetation or by an opaque fence having a maximum height of 1.5 m (4.9 ft.).

Noise

At all times, the maximum level of noise generated by any unit may not exceed 50 decibels. The noise level is measured at the property line, facing the unit.

Number of units

Two units per building for heating or cooling purposes and one unit for the pool.

Building permit

A building permit is required to install a heat pump or an air conditioner for the main building or a water heater for a pool.

A current site plan prepared by a land surveyor must show the following information:

  • The cadastral identification of the property;
  • The location and the dimensions on the ground of the existing main building, of all existing ancillary buildings, of the unit to be installed, and of the visual screen, if any;
  • The distance of the unit from the property lines and from the main building;
  • The manufacturer’s specification data sheet indicating the type of the unit
No ventilation duct or other mechanical equipment, with the exception of air conditioners installed in windows, may be visible outdoors, except at the back of the main building.

It is permitted to install reservoirs, propane tanks, or similar equipment under the following conditions:

  • They may only be installed in side or back yards;
  • A maximum of two reservoirs or tanks per building is permitted;
  • The reservoir or tank must be hidden from the street by vegetation or by another type of screen;
  • Oil tanks may not be installed outside a building.

A permit issued by the Town Planning, Permits and Inspection Department is required to remove, install, or change the location of a reservoir or tank.

No ventilation duct or other mechanical equipment, with the exception of air conditioners installed in windows, may be visible outdoors, except at the back of the main building.

All antennae must blend into their immediate physical surroundings. No antennae may be installed in a front yard or on the façade of a building. Only residential satellite dish antennae are authorized.

A satellite dish antenna must respect the following conditions:

  • If installed on a side or back wall: may have a maximum diameter of 65 cm (2.1 ft.);
  • If installed on the roof: may have a maximum diameter of 51 cm (1.7 ft.) and must not be visible from the street or may be hidden behind an opaque screen.
No ventilation duct or other mechanical equipment, with the exception of air conditioners installed in windows, may be visible outdoors, except at the back of the main building.

No structure higher than 2 m (6.6 ft.) may be used for landscaping purposes. The maximum allowable height for a pergola or gazebo is 4 m (13.1 ft.). The maximum allowable area for a pergola or gazebo is 15 m2 (161.5 sq. ft.).

It is forbidden to cut down a tree measuring more than 10 cm (3.9 in.) in diameter on private property without first having obtained a certificate of authorization to do so. A certificate may be issued under certain circumstances.

Application to fell a tree and evaluation of the application

Certificate of authorization

A certificate of authorization is required for:

  • Any work on a parking area;
  • The installation of any outdoor equipment;

When making a request, you must submit two copies of the following:

  • Duly completed permit and/or certificate application form (in French);
  • The certificate of location prepared by a land surveyor (if applicable);
  • Plan of the proposed work (if applicable);
  • Photo of the site (if applicable);
  • Detailed list of the work;
  • Contractor’s contact information (if applicable);
  • Work schedule;
  • Cost of work.

Procedure

The steps are as follows:

  1. Before the file can be evaluated, the request must be signed and paid for, and all the required documentation must be completed
  2. Your request will then be reviewed. Due to the high volume of permit requests, we are unable to provide an exact processing time. When you submit your request, an estimate of the time it will take will be provided;
  3. The inspector will issue the certificate of authorization

Cost of a certificate of authorization

The cost of a certificate of authorization depends on the nature of the work involved. Consult the price list for all the details.

Please refer to the Territorial development page to know all the provisions of the urban planning by-laws in force on the territory of the Ville de Saint-Lambert.

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