The owners of a multi-million dollar West Vancouver property where a building resembling a small residence was constructed without permits behind the main home have requested council reconsider its July 21 decision ordering the demolition of the unpermitted structure.
The registered owners of 1145 Chartwell Crescent — Omid Gerami, Kamran Gerami, Naib Gerami, and Ayesheh Mansouri — had 30 days to “do all things necessary to apply for a demolition permit,” according to the resolution.
Instead, on Aug. 20, the district of West Vancouver said the group gave written notice requesting the district’s council reconsider the terms of the resolution.
The reconsideration hearing will be scheduled to take place during an upcoming regular council meeting.
“The owners will have the opportunity to address Council for up to 10 minutes or longer at the discretion of the Mayor,” communications director Carrie Gadsby said in an email.
The owners of the unpermitted backyard structure near a steep slope adjacent to Brothers Creek did not appear at the previous meeting or send any representatives before council’s unanimous vote last month.
The district’s director of planning, Jim Bailey, told council no building permits were issued for the additional building, nor any permits to comply with the wildfire development permit area it’s located on.
According to a council report, district staff learned about the unauthorized building on May 15, 2024, after a complaint about “a large new structure on the Property.”
The building inspector visited the property the next day and posted a stop work order.
As of July 21, the owners had been issued fines of $14,800, of which $500 had been paid.
The owners have advised district staff they are engaged in litigation with the builder and claim he is responsible for the lack of building permits, according to the council report.
Shahin Construction Ltd., however, alleges the Geramis and Mansouri are to blame for the lack of permits.
CEO Matt Minapour previously told Global News he stopped work and walked away from the job because he believed the defendants were attempting to build a secondary home on their property.
Under the district’s Building Bylaw, an owner is responsible for obtaining and complying with the terms and conditions of permits.