Harwood Mini Storage may face legal action from officials in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Canada. The city last week instructed law firm Barrette & Associés to seek a court order against the self-storage operator and another business to resolve unfixed violations of municipal regulations. “In both cases, the problem is particularly linked to external storage banned or made in contravention of the regulations,” City Clerk Jean St-Antoine told the source.

June 30, 2016

2 Min Read
Self-Storage Operator Harwood Mini Storage Faces Legal Action From City Officials in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Canada

Harwood Mini Storage may face legal action from officials in Vaudreuil-Dorion, Quebec, Canada. The city last week instructed law firm Barrette & Associés to seek a court order against the self-storage operator and another business to resolve unfixed violations of municipal regulations. “In both cases, the problem is particularly linked to external storage banned or made in contravention of the regulations,” City Clerk Jean St-Antoine told the source.

Self-storage owner Colin Keillar has been in dispute with the city for three years, primarily due to storage containers on the front of his property at 743 Harwood Road. “We have a difference of opinion,” he told the source. “It’s the storage in the yard that they don’t like. Originally, they sent me a [notice] that there is a bylaw that says you are not allowed to have anything in the yard in front of the building. The thing is my building was built 40 years ago in the back of the [property]. Under new regulations, the building has to be built in front of the yard. It was all legal back then (when it was built).”

A letter from a city inspector advised Keillar that he couldn’t have storage containers in the 300 feet of yard space in front of the building. “What am I supposed to do, turn it into a dog park? That’s how it all started,” he said. “The whole yard is in front. There’s only 30 feet behind the building on my property.”

The city also contends that 20 decommissioned U-Haul trucks on the property constitute scrap and must be removed. Keillar is working to remove the trucks from the lot, he told the source. He also applied for a fence permit six weeks ago to comply with a city complaint about his fencing.

Keillar contends it would be too costly to renovate the property to meet current city codes and believes his business should be grandfathered under previous rules.

The city has also taken legal action against Les Pièces d’Autos Reno Inc. for used cars and auto parts stored on its Harwood Road lot.

Keillar’s family has operated the self-storage business for 16 years and also ran a U-Haul rental center on the property for 12. Prior to storage, it ran a construction-supply company on the lot, according to the source.

Sources:

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