Langford was B次元官网网址榰nreasonableB次元官网网址� to issue a building permit for a design without an architect, B.C.B次元官网网址檚 appeal court confirmed on June 30, upholding the B.C. Supreme CourtB次元官网网址檚 2020 decision.

The case started in 2010 when the City of Langford issued a building permit for the Hoffman Complex that had been designed without a licensed architect. The building at 689 Hoffman Ave. was constructed, occupancy permits were given and the five units were sold between 2017 and 2018.

It almost didnB次元官网网址檛 matter that there hadnB次元官网网址檛 been an architect until one owner started asking around. They were told by LangfordB次元官网网址檚 chief building inspector, Jerry Worobec, that a building of that size only needed a structural engineer to sign off, and the city had no authority to require an architect be involved.

This answer didnB次元官网网址檛 sit right with the owner, who notified the Architectural Institute of B.C.

Without an architect on the project, the institute had no one to discipline, but it did ask the city and project designer to promise to use architects in the future, when required by the Architects Act, a piece of legislation the institute is charged with enforcing.

William Peereboom of Victoria Design Ltd. who designed the building, agreed he had breached the Act, and signed a document promising compliance.

But Langford refused.

It argued that the Architects Act was outside its municipal building bylaw jurisdiction, and that signing a commitment would be B次元官网网址渋nconsistent with the discretionary nature of the building permitting process.B次元官网网址�

ThatB次元官网网址檚 what the city argued in court when the Architecture Institute of B.C. took legal action in 2020.

RELATED: No architect for Langford building ruled B次元官网网址榰nreasonableB次元官网网址� by B.C. Supreme Court

The B.C. Supreme Court ruled then that Langford was in the wrong. Langford appealed, and last week three judges denied the request, upholding the earlier court ruling.

Last year when the first ruling came out, Langford Mayor Stew Young told the Gazette it wouldnB次元官网网址檛 impact the city, but will cost developers, possibly raising the cost of housing.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e going to carry on with what weB次元官网网址檙e doing, it just means the end product is more expensive,B次元官网网址� he said at the time. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 just another cost that probably is unnecessary but we have to live with that.B次元官网网址�

Young wasnB次元官网网址檛 available for comment this time, but a spokesperson for the city said, B次元官网网址淲e are disappointed with the Court of AppealB次元官网网址檚 decision and the ramifications it will have in all municipalities across the province. The City of LangfordB次元官网网址檚 lawyers are currently reviewing the details of the decision.B次元官网网址�

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