Beaconsfield heritage home meeting next week

BY ELYSE AMEND

elyse.amend@transcontinental.ca

Beaconsfield will hold a special meeting for heritage homes on April 15 to explain changes the city is making to the bylaw concerning modifications to the exterior of such buildings.

The bylaw affects 39 buildings rated three stars or more on the five-star heritage-home grading system. Beaconsfield Mayor Bob Benedetti said council officially withdrew the bylaw last May after heritage home owners raised a number of questions and concerns about paperwork required for minor repairs, delays in receiving approval for modifications, and what impact the restrictions would have on home resale values.

“People were also asking what was in it for them. We’re protecting their homes, but what do they get out of it?” Benedetti said. “We’ve come up with a package I think answers a lot of their questions.”

The bylaw will cover guidelines and limitations heritage home owners need to follow when it comes to modifying the exterior appearance and architectural elements of the building, adding extensions and ancillary buildings, among others, and how the bylaw will be implemented.

“We’ve designed ways to make it easier for them,” Benedetti said. “If a guy wants to paint his door, as long as he’s not changing the size of the hole, he can change the door.”

If the heritage home owners raise other issues and concerns during the meeting, Benedetti said the city will look into them before proceeding with the bylaw.

“We want to meet with them first and see what they think,” he said. “If they have some issues we feel require changes to the bylaw, then we’ll deal with them.”

The meeting will be held on April 15 at 7 p.m. in the council chamber at city hall, 303 Beaconsfield Blvd.