Citizens - Town Planning and Permits

Town Planning Master Plan | By-laws | PIIA | Permits and Certificates
Urbanism Committee (CCU) | Environment Committee (CCE)

PIIA

PIIA signifies Plan d’implantation et d’intégration architecturale
(Architectural Implementation and Integration Plan)

Such plans are regulated by the by-laws relating to Architectural Implementation and Integration Plan (Règlement sur les plans d’implantation et d’intégration architecturale numéro 514 and Règlement sur les plans d’implantation et d’intégration architecturale numéro 607).

PIIAs required for construction, development or installations planned in certain sectors of the Municipality are subject to a qualitative evaluation being made prior to the application for and delivery of a permit or certificate, thus allowing the Municipality to ensure the quality of the architectural implementation and integration, while taking into account the particularities of each situation.

Any Architectural Implementation and Integration Plan submitted in support of an application for a permit or certificate, must allow the following objectives to be attained:

• return to or preserve the original architectural characteristics of the existing building, and to see that this applies to all the elements composing the structure which are visible from the exterior and which are important in improving or protecting its harmonious architectural insertion into the surrounding environment;

• to preserve, improve or ensure insertion into the urban fabric of the development of lands, signs or buildings, whether existing or planned, in particular with respect to the harmonization of the installations and their own architectural and landscaping characteristics with those of the surrounding environment

All architectural implementation and integration plans according to general and specific criteria, as follows:

• Quality, precision and clarity of possible interpretation of documents submitted;
• Esthetic quality and harmonious integration of the project into the surrounding environment;
• Contribution made by the project to the maintenance or improvement of the esthetic and heritage character of the surrounding environment;
• Safety of access roads, of vehicle traffic and access to parking space, if required;
• Preservation of the site’s natural characteristics;
• Discreet nature of signage and lighting;
• Absence of visual, sound, olfactory and ecological disturbances;
• Drainage of rain water, in the case of land development;
• Quality of landscaping.

Specific criteria exist for all projects in the sectors subject to regulation by PIIAs with respect to height, width, surface area, clearances, cladding materials, facades, roof shapes, openings, projections and architectural style for main buildings, dimensions, architectural implementation and appearance for secondary buildings; preservation of views, pedestrian links, landscaping and lighting for land development.

Signs, whether by form, size, height, colour, message content and graphic characteristics (font), must contribute to highlighting, enhancing or showing to advantage the architectural style of the main building.  To this end, the colours used on the sign must be similar to or harmonize with those of the main building.  The sign must not hide any architectural ornament or any opening.

Documents required with the application

Applications seeking approval of projects subject to the PIIA by-law must be complete, meaning they must contain all information and documents required, prior to being transmitted to the Comité consultatif d’urbanisme (Urbanism Committee).

Please see the application form (Permits and Certificates section) for the list of information and documents required with the application.

The Committee will evaluate the application and may require additional information in order to complete evaluation.

A documented opinion will be issued by the Committee and transmitted to Council, which will authorize or refuse the issue of a permit by resolution.  Prior to a decision, Council may decree that the documents in question be subjected to a public consultation.

Prior to a decision, Council may also impose certain additional requirements and deliver a favourable decision, which is subject to certain conditions.

All these steps means that issuing of a permit or certificate authorizing works subject to the PIIA by-law may take up to 60 days.