'I never thought it would be anything this size': City committee approves oversized garage without permit
A city committee has given the green light to an oversized garage, where no permit was pulled.
"They stood this thing up so quick, so fast, then it's like wow, I never thought it would be anything this size,” said neighbour, Darren Van Wynsberghe.
The garage on Liberty Street, south of Wilkes Avenue, is 4,200 square feet - more than four times the allowable limit
City planners were alerted to the garage being built without a permit.
They rejected an application by owner Tylan Unrah for a variance after the fact, meaning he would have to tear it down or scale it down to the proper dimensions for a development permit to be issued.
"I do apologize for the inconvenience this has caused,” said Unrah.
Unrah appealed the order to the city's appeal committee. He said sorry for not getting a permit, and explained he needs the garage to store a motor home, camper, a snowmobile trailer, and a watercraft.
He said many of his neighbours support him.
"First, I would need to say that I made mistakes along the way, specifically in the manner in which I proceeded with the storage garage. Primarily of course I have not received a permit and should have gone through all of the requirements,” Unrah said.
In a three to one vote the committee agreed to let the garage stand.
The neighbourhood is zoned rural residential and has large homes and lots.
“It's a big rural type property, this is a long way from the property line, yah it's an oversized garage we've allowed many of those,” said Coun. Brian Mayes.
But the decision is not sitting well with his neighbour next door
"Basically you do not need a permit just build it and ask for forgiveness later,” said Van Wynsberghe.
“This backyard used to be like a park we would only see trees back here. Now I feel like I live in an industrial park."
Coun. Evan Duncan said he is also in disbelief.
He worries others will now flout the permit process, and deal with the consequences later
"I think that either tearing it down would have set a major signal to Winnipeggers but at least a reduction in size,” said Duncan.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.