The number one reason why we see Real Property Reports rejected at the City of Calgary.
Covered decks can be a great asset to your home. They increase the available outdoor living space, provide much-needed shade in the summer months, and can also add value to the home itself. Enclosing or covering a portion of your deck has become a very popular idea as more and more people move to a work-from-home environment.
As enjoyable as these outdoor living spaces are, failing to recognize the Land Use Bylaws before enclosing, covering, or adding a pergola to a deck may cause trouble for a homeowner down the road. It’s always best to consult the City or location municipal Land Use Bylaws before building anything of significance.
In Calgary, covered decks fall under a different set of bylaw setbacks than uncovered decks, and knowing these differences can save you time and money when it comes to applying for a compliance stamp on your Real Property Report.
Within Calgary uncovered deck setbacks are as follows: 
A distance of 6.0m is required from the end of your deck to the rear property line.
This area is called the setback distance and it is the portion of space between the rear property line and your deck. Most home builders and contractors understand this and make sure that homes are built according to these bylaws. The 6.0m setback is important to understand when you’re thinking about enclosing or covering a portion of your deck.
The setbacks for covered decks are as follows:
A distance of 7.5m is required from any “covered portion” of the deck to the rear property line.
Why it matters
Most homes are built to maximize the land use area of the subject lot. This means that your existing deck is more than likely to have a distance of at least 6.0m or more to the rear property line. This distance is very important to know when thinking about covering a deck.
Issues appear when a homeowner either covers all or a portion of their deck or places a pergola on their deck that is physically attached to the home itself. Once this happens, the distance of 6.0m is no longer in effect and a new distance of 7.5m is now required.
At the Compliance review
The city considers attached pergolas or covered decks to be objects of the home, and this is essentially why they require a distance of 7.5m to from the end of the deck to the rear property line for any portion of a covered deck.
If an RPR is completed on a home with a covered deck or attached pergola that does not have this distance to the rear property line, the City of Calgary will not give the RPR a compliance stamp. They will ask that the homeowner submit a development permit “after the fact” for the covered or enclosed portion of the deck. This process takes about 8-10 weeks to complete. Once completed the city will stamp the Real Property Report with compliance.
Knowing the Land Use Bylaws for decks, covered or uncovered can save you a lot when it’s time to submit your RPR for a compliance review.
Covering a portion of your deck is a great idea and can increase the area of useable living space in any home, just be sure to check with the City before you build, and make sure you have the required setback distance of 7.5m that is required for covered decks.
Setback distance is the measurement taken from the rear property line to the beginning the deck. Covered decks require a setback distance of 7.5m and uncovered decks or any portion of an uncovered deck requires a setback distance of 6.om
If you have a covered deck or pergola on your property and you would like to make certain that it falls under the City of Calgary bylaws before you complete your Real Property Report, then give us a call (403-277-1272) or drop us an email at info@arcsurveys.ca We have seen just about every issue involving covered decks and pergolas and Real Property Reports and would be happy to help.
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