Solid Privacy Walls for Semi-Detached Decks - Is it long enough?

When buying a semi-detached dwelling in a new area, decks and privacy walls might not be constructed by the time an owner takes possession. Often, it is up to the owners to construct a deck in accordance with section 339 of the City of Calgary's Land Use Bylaw.

Section 339.3

A deck attached to a Contextual Semi-Detached Dwelling, Semi-Detached Dwelling, Rowhouse or Townhouse within 1.2 meters of a property line on which a party wall is located, must have a solid privacy wall that:

             (a) is a minimum of 2.0 meters in height;
             (b) is a maximum of 3.0 meters in height; and
             (c) extends the full depth of the deck.

A recent client constructed a privacy wall, but it did not extend the full depth of the deck. There was a fence post at the end of the deck that was not 2.0 meters high.

The fence post isn't high enough to be considered part of the privacy wall

The Real Property Report (RPR) clearly showed the privacy wall being well short of the deck. Unfortunately, the City of Calgary refused to issue a Certificate of Compliance Stamp without modifications to the privacy wall.

The City can do math! 3.00m subtract 2.86m means the privacy wall is 0.14m short of the deck.

When building a privacy wall, make sure it extends the entire length of the deck at the required height. Nobody likes heading down to the City Hall Planning Department twice for the same RPR.