PUBLIC GU
UIDE FOR DECKS Are you conssidering build
ding a deck onn your resideential property? The follow
wing is a collection of Frequentlyy Asked Quesstions and reelevant sectio
ons of the Bu
uilding onstruction. IIf you Permit and Land Use Byylaws to conssider before beginning co
pment require furtther clarification please contact thee Planning aand Develop
Department at planning@
@canmore.ca or call (403) 678‐1543. CONTENT
TS Frequentlly Asked Quesstions……………
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……. 1 Relevant Bylaws and Explanations ffor Decks ………
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…….. 3 mages and Diaagrams…………
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……. 5 Helpful Im
Relevant Definitions……
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REQUENTLY
Y ASKED QUEESTIONS Do
o I need a buiilding permit to build a decck? A Building Perm
mit is required for decks m
more than 0.6 m (2’) abovee the existing grade. What is th
he cost of a Building Permiit? The cost o
of a Building P
Permit is $8.2
25 per $1,000
0 cost of workk, and an Alberta Safety Code Council FFee of 4% of the Building Perm
mit fee. The m
minimum totaal cost is $54 .50. A review
w fee of $75 iss also applicab
ble. What doees cost of worrk include? Cost of wo
ork includes aall labour, fixttures, and building materi als. ppens if I havee already starrted constructtion? What hap
A penalty equal to the Building Perm
mit fee is charged if constrruction has sttarted prior to the issuancce of a permit. building p
What hap
ppens if the proposed deck encroachees into a utillity right‐of‐w
way (URW), a
a yard setback, or Town Prop
perty? If the inte
ended deck encroaches intto a side yard
d, a right‐of‐w
way, or Town property, pleease explore other options to
o avoid any variances. Vaariances are allowed onlyy if they provvide a comm
munity benefiit and require a Developmen
nt Permit. En
ncroachmentts into a URW
W require ap
pproval by the affected utility suppliers. more July 2012 Town of Canm
uded in a Building Permit a
application foor a deck? What neeeds to be inclu
 Su
ubmit proof o
of authorization to constru
uct on the prooperty. The o
owner must siign the appliccation fo
orm.  Su
ubmit two sets of plans an
nd specificatio
ons.  Su
ubmit one copy of a surveyed Plot Plan
n – unless youu can provide the informattion in anotheer fo
orm (site plan
n) that clearlyy indicates the
e developmennt is in accord
dance with th
he regulationss.  Su
ubmit the Bow Valley Construction Waste Diversionn Form or indiicate that thiss has already been su
ubmitted to the Bow Valle
ey Waste Man
nagement Co mmission.  Su
ubmit the Building Trades List for Canm
more Businesss Registry form.  A
Additional info
ormation may be required
d depending oon the circum
mstances of th
he application
n. See Se
ection 1.8 of the Land Use
e Bylaw for de
etailed applicaation requireements. Please note that all plaans must be to scale and in
nclude metricc measuremeents. What insp
pections will m
my deck require? At stages during construction, the TTown of Canm
more's Safety Codes Officeer (Building Inspector) will need ns of the workk. Depending on the scopee of work, thee number of inspections m
may to carry out inspection
vary, a fin
nal inspection will need to be carried ou
ut for the connstruction of aa deck. What do II need to do o
once construcction is complleted? Contact th
he town office at 403.678..1543 to arrange for a finaal inspection. Please provid
de your Building Permit nu
umber when yyou call to bo
ook your inspe
ection. A min imum 2 days’ notice is req
quired for inspection
ns. more July 2012 Town of Canm
T SECTIONS O
OF LAND USEE BYLAW 22‐2
2010: RELEVANT
4.1.4 RESIDEENTIAL BUILD
DING PROJECTTIONS Every part of any frront, rear or sside yard setbback open and required by this Byllaw shall be o
ny structure from the grouund to unobstructed by an
the skyy except: EXP
PLANATIONSS: Theere are a seriees of reggulations regaarding settbacks from and pro
ojections into rear, front and side yards for decks and an
ny asssociated stairw
ways and
d landings. RESIDENTIAL B
BUILDING PRO
OJECTIONS Structure S
Yard(s) into Whiich Projections are Permitted Decks and porc
D
ches (covered or uncovered) wh
u
here a minimum of 50% of the sur
5
rface of the decck is less than 4.0m
l
m above grade attached to th
a
e principle dwe
elling Stairways and S
landings assocciated with decks and
w
d porches whicch are greater than 0
g
.6m above grade and lead into the p
l
principal dwelling 2.0m
Rear and front yarrds
Stairs m
more than 0.6m
m above grade may extend an
n onal 1.0m from
m the deck additio
or porcch to a maximu
um total of 3.0m
m Encroaachment into o
one side yard off 1.0m for stairrs and landinggs 2.0m or lesss above grade
Full pro
ojection Anyy yard
more July 2012 Town of Canm
NOTE: TThe listed projecctions may require design modifica
ations to meet thhe requirementss of the Albertaa Building Code Rear and front yarrds
One
e side yard
Decks less than
D
n or equal to 0
0.6m above the exis
a
ting grade Maxim
mum Projectiion Permiitted 4.1.4.2 Enclossures to any p
porch or deck projection sh
hall not exxceed 1.2m in
n height abovve the surfacee of the de
eck or porch. Roofs may be
e constructedd over porch or deck proje
ections but raailings or wall s may ht of 1.2m. not exxceed the maximum heigh
RELEVANT
T SECTIONS O
OF BUILDING PERMIT BYLAW 25‐2008:: SECTION 5
5 PROHIBITION 2. A Perm
mit is not requ
uired for: b) Constrruction that d
does not exce
eed five thoussand (b
dollarss ($5,000.00) in total prevaailing market value, if matters afffecting health and safety are not of a structtural nature, iin the not at risk; and is n
opinio
on of the Safetty Codes Office; more July 2012 Town of Canm
You
u are permitted to buiild a roof over you
ur deck, but aany raillings, enclosu
ures, or w
walls associatted witth your deck can
nnot be moree than 1.2
2m (3’11”) higgh. EXP
PLANATIONSS: Deccks more than 0.6
6m (2’) in heigght posse a safety rissk and
d thus requiree a Buiilding Permit.. A Buiilding Permit is req
quired even iff you aree replacing an
n existing deck; th
his is to eensure the con
nstruction meeets accceptable standards and
d the latest req
quirements.
D DIAGRAMS HELPFUL IMAGES AND
Construction Details Residentiaal Deck Elevation Plans & C
If your deck is higher than 0.6m refe
er to this diaggram when preparing the plans for you
ur Building Peermit on. applicatio
more July 2012 Town of Canm
RELEVAN
NT DEFINITIO
ONS ment Permit m
means a docu
ument issued by a Developpment Authorrity pursuant to this Bylaw
w [the Developm
Land Use Bylaw], which authorizes a development and includdes the plans and conditions of approvaal. Site mean
ns an area of land on which
h a developm
ment exists or for which an
n application ffor a develop
pment permit is made contain
ning not less tthan one lot. Yard means an open space on site, unoccupied aand unobstruucted. Yard, fron
nt means the yard which e
extends in wid
dth between the side boun
ndaries of a ssite and in dep
pth from the ffront propertty line of the ssite to the fro
ont of the prinnciple buildin
ng. IN the casee of a corner site the narrow
wer of the tw
wo boundary llines abuttingg the street m
may be consid
dered the fron
nt yard. In circumstaances where tthe front yard
d is not clearlyy defined, thee Developmeent Authority may determine what consstitutes the frront yard. een the rear pproperty line o
of a site and tthe rear yard Yard, rearr means the yyard which exxtends betwe
setback as prescribed iin the districtt. In circumstaances where tthe rear yard
d is not clearlyy defined, thee Developm
ment Authoritty may determ
mine what constitutes the rear yard or yards. e means the yyard which exxtends between a side prooperty line of a site and thee sideyard settback Yard, side
as prescribed in a land use district. In circumstan
nces where a sideyard is not clearly deffined, the ment Authoritty may determ
mine what constitutes the sideyard(s) o
of a site. Developm
more July 2012 Town of Canm