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Board of Variance
Meetings
- 7 p.m.
- 4th Tuesday of every month except for August and December. If there are no applications to be heard the Board does not meet.
Overview
The Board of Variance is an independent body which considers requests for minor variances to the Coquitlam Zoning Bylaw regarding the siting, size and dimensions of buildings. The Board, which consists of five members appointed by Coquitlam City Council, has the authority to grant variances in situations where compliance with the Zoning Bylaw would cause a person undue hardship. The term "undue hardship" limits the Board to considering only hardships that result from aspects of the site as opposed to those which are personal to, or generated by, the owner.
How to Apply
- Before applying to the Board of Variance, you should review your plans and drawings with the City’s Building Permits Division to determine if a variance is required for building permit approval. Review our Board or Variance Guide (PDF) or email the Building Permits Division or call 604-927-3441.
- Once it has been determined that a bylaw variance appeal is required, applicants must submit a Board of Variance Application (PDF), and provide all requested supporting documents to the Building Permits Division. The included Board of Variance Checklist (PDF) must be followed and submitted with your application.
- We encourage you to engage the services of a building design professional to assist you in preparing your plans submission if you are unfamiliar with building permit processes and construction matters. It is critical to submit as much detailed relevant information as possible to assist staff and the Board in completing their review of your application.
Applications for the Board of Variance are handled in person by the Building Permits Division, Main Floor, City Hall. If you have any questions about the function of the Board of Variance, please email the City Clerk's Office or call 604-927-3010.
Participating in the Board of Variance Consultation Process
If you would like to participate in the Board of Variance consultation process, we encourage you to register as far in advance of the meeting as possible. A comprehensive list of participation methods is provided below.
The next Board of Variance Meeting will be held on TBD.
| Board of Variance Meeting - TBD |
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To find the live broadcast link, please go to the Watch Council Meetings webpage. Please note that the broadcast link will not be visible until the meeting begins at 7 p.m.
If you have questions, please call the Clerk's Office at 604-927-3010.
Email: the City Clerk's Office
In person: Attn: City Clerk’s Office – please place in one of two City Hall (3000 Guildford Way, Coquitlam) drop boxes, located at the underground parking entrance or by the main entrance facing Burlington Drive.
To afford the Board an opportunity to review your submission, please ensure that you forward it to the City Clerk’s Office prior to noon on the day of the Board of Variance Meeting. Please note that the drop boxes will be emptied shortly after 12 p.m. and not checked again prior to the hearing.
Written submissions provided in response to this consultation, including names and addresses, will become part of the public record which includes the submissions being made available for public inspection and on our website at coquitlam.ca/agendas. If you require more information regarding this process, please call the City Clerk’s Office at 604-927-3010.
Click here to register.
Confirmation of your registration, and a unique link to join the meeting, will be sent to you by email.
You will be participating in the meeting by audio only. Your image will not be broadcast to the Board, or to the public.
For further instructions regarding joining a meeting.
For detailed system requirements.
Confirmation of your registration, and a unique link to join the meeting, will be sent to you by email.
You will be participating in the meeting by audio only. Your image will not be broadcast to the Board, or to the public.
Please note that you will need to download the free Zoom app from the App or Play Store in order to join the meeting.
For further instructions regarding joining a meeting.
For detailed system requirements.
Click here to register.
Confirmation of your registration, and a unique link to join the meeting, will be sent to you by email.
OR
Please call 604-927-3010 to register to speak by phone. Instructions and details regarding telephone participation will be provided to you upon registration.
All Board of Variance meetings are open to public attendance. The public will have an opportunity to convey their views on proposed variances brought forth by the applicant.
Please call the Clerk's Office at 604-927-3010, or email the City Clerks Office, if you require further information.
Please note, you may register to attend the meeting remotely without signing up to speak to an item. The City Clerk’s Office will compile a speakers list for each item. Everyone will be permitted to speak at the verbal input opportunity but those who have registered in advance will be given first opportunity. Once the speakers list has been exhausted, you will be asked to use the raise hand feature to indicate if you would like to speak. For participants using the telephone, the raise hand feature can be activated by dialing *9. For participants using a computer/smart phone/tablet, the raise hand feature can be activated by selecting the raise hand button found in Webinar Controls. For more information on using the raise hand feature, and to see what the feature looks like on the various platforms, please consult this help article at the Zoom support website.
Please also note that there is a short delay between the broadcast of the meeting available at Agenda and Minutes page and the Zoom meeting. It is not advisable to use both methods to view the proceedings at the same time.
Presentations or submissions must be received by the Board before the Meeting for that application is concluded as the Board will vote on the item.
Speaking Tips for remote participants:
- Limit your comments to the proposed application.
- You will have 5 minutes to speak.
- You will be muted when you join the webinar.
- Make sure that you are in a quiet area with no background noise.
- Ensure that your device is fully charged and that you have access to a charging station should your device need it.
- Do not put your phone on speaker phone.
- If using a computer, it may be better to use a headset with a microphone to talk so that you can be heard.
- When it is your turn to speak, the Chair or a member of the City Clerk’s Office will call your name and you will be un-muted.
- Additional instructions may be given by the Chair or the Secretary to the Board.
Important Notice
Remote participation will be conducted by Zoom. Zoom can be used via a computer with a microphone, a tablet or smart phone, or by a land line. Zoom is a US based video conferencing solution used extensively by cities and the provincial government. Like most similar programs/software/services, Zoom will collect a limited amount of personal information about you when you register to join the meeting. If you are not comfortable with this collection of personal information, please participate by writing to Council.