West Vancouver seeks demolition of small ‘addition’ turned into massive new build

In many areas of the country, it’s entirely legal to build a new home on an existing smaller home’s basement footprint, as long as certain first floor walls are maintained.

But what appears to have happened in West Vancouver stretches that rule to unrecognizable limits.

Last week, the District of West Vancouver sought a B.C. Supreme Court order to force the demolition of a $3-million new home recently constructed by owners Philip Garrow and Raven Garrow.

The municipality alleges, in court documents, that in October 2013 Philip Garrow applied for and received a permit to renovate the previously existing small house on the property. The permit also allowed him to build an addition and garage.

But four months later, West Vancouver alleges that it began to issue Stop Work orders on the property after neighbours complained that the original house was being entirely demolished – without a permit.

Since then, a massive, ultra-modern new home has arisen on the site – almost entirely, West Vancouver alleges, without required permits or inspections. If the court agrees to issue a demolition order, the Garrows will have 60 days to have the home safely destroyed. If they don’t do that, the city will move in and demolish it themselves – and send them the invoice.

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