A nearly completed home on Saskatoon’s University Drive is at the centre of a zoning dispute after the city found it was built too tall and too wide. The City of Saskatoon’s Development Appeals Board has now denied the owners’ appeal to allow construction to continue. The city issued a stop-work order after an inspection in May found the home exceeded the maximum allowable height of 8.5 metres by about 1.4 metres and was also too wide. Current owners Curtis and Rachelle Kelln say they were unaware of the zoning violations. They bought the home a year ago from the estate of developer Karl Miller, who died in a highway collision in 2023. But the violations also went unnoticed by city staff. The city conducted 11 inspections during construction, but none flagged the home’s height or width. The Kellns appealed the city’s decision in July. They argued bringing the home into compliance would be costly and require demolition, redesign and reconstruction. They also said the plans were in place before they bought the home. The city said as-built drawings show the ceiling heights at each level differ from the approved plans. In its written decision issued last Thursday, the appeals board said any error or omission during past city inspections does not relieve the owner of the responsibility to comply with the zoning bylaw. The board received 14 letters on the appeal, with some in support and others opposed. The Nutana and Varsity View community associations were among those opposed. The board found the evidence did not show a significant impact on neighbours’ privacy, sunlight or use of their properties. But it said allowing the home to exceed those limits would defeat the intent of the zoning bylaw and denied the appeal. The Kellns declined to comment, saying they’re considering their next steps. The decision can be appealed to the Saskatchewan Municipal Board within 30 days.
