In accordance with the Act respecting land use planning and development (LAU), the City of Beaconsfield must proceed with the revision of its urban plan and by-laws to ensure concordance with the Schéma d'aménagement et de développement (SAD) de l'Agglomération de Montréal adopted in 2015. Following an amendment to the LAU in 2023, the Minister of Municipal Affairs has ordered the City to complete this exercise before March 14, 2025.
The concordance process consists of ensuring that the content of the urban plan and urban planning by-laws (zoning, subdivision, construction, etc.) are in line with the vision and orientations of the SAD. Since 2015, several amendments to these by-laws have been made, in concordance with the SAD. Draft by-laws to ensure full concordance of the City's by-laws with the SAD will be tabled at the December Council meeting.
Draft by-laws
Public consultation
Adoption calendar
- Filing and notice of motions of draft by-laws - December 16, 2024
- Public consultation - January 2025
- Adoption of by-laws - February 24, 2025
FAQ
Why has the city decided to concordance now?
An amendment to the Act respecting land use planning and development came into force on December 1, 2023, making it impossible for any municipality whose planning tools and by-laws do not comply with those of the higher level (in our case, the Land-use planning and development concept of Montréal agglomeration (RCG 14-029) to receive notices of conformity.
A notice of conformity from the Montréal agglomeration is required for the vast majority of provisions in the city's urban planning by-laws. Without the recognition of the concordance of our by-laws with those of the higher level, it would be impossible to make modifications to the by-laws in force.
As the current urban planning by-laws are all over 10 years old, amendments are sometimes necessary to ensure consistency with new land realities, evolving construction methods, the emergence of new techniques or materials, improved technologies for identifying elements on plans, etc., to name but a few examples.
Where can I find the SAD 2015?
The Land-use planning and development concept of Montréal agglomeration (RCG 14-029) and all its amendments can be found at the following link:
Maps can be viewed at the following link:
What is the impact on citizens (freeze effect)?
As soon as the notice of motion is filed and the draft by-laws are adopted, the current by-law and its amendment are applied in parallel. Thus, any application received by the urban planning department that affects any of the provisions of these draft by-laws must comply with the current by-law and its amendment, and with what will be permitted once the amendment comes into force.
For example: A property owner applies for a certificate of authorization to cut down a tree because, in his opinion, the tree has an incurable disease.
- The current by-law states that the municipal officer may issue the permit if he can verify that the tree is indeed suffering from an incurable disease.
- The draft by-law (amendment) stipulates that the owner must provide a report from an arboricultural expert confirming the condition of the tree.
- To obtain a certificate of authorization: an inspection must be carried out by the city inspector and an arboricultural expert's report must be provided by the owner.
To find out about the changes to the various draft by-laws, please consult them above
Will citizens be able to have their say on certain articles (referendum process)?
Under section 123 of the Act respecting land use planning and development, when sections of a draft by-law are amended exclusively for concordance purposes, the draft by-law need not be submitted to the referendum process.
What was the consultation process for this concordance?
Considering that the concordance exercise aims to bring the city's current urban planning by-laws into strict compliance with the provisions required by the Land Use Planning and Development Plan of the Agglomeration of Montréal, no consultation was held.
A public consultation to inform citizens of the amendments to the various by-laws will be held on January 20, 2025, at 6:30 p.m.
When will these by-laws come into force?
These by-laws will come into force when the City receives the notice of conformity from the Montréal agglomeration, which, according to the Act respecting land use planning and development, should be received no later than 120 days after adoption of the by-laws by Council. Adoption is scheduled for the February 24 council meeting, and should come into force no later than June 24, 2025.