Montréal closes alley for land transfer

Summary#

Montréal city council adopted a bylaw titled Règlement sur la fermeture d'une ruelle située au sud-est de la 1re Rue entre la 55e Avenue et la 56e Avenue, dans l'arrondissement de Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles, aux fins de transfert aux propriétaires riverains (Bylaw to close an alley for transfer to bordering property owners). It closes the public alley to enable its transfer, and creates a public utility easement (a right to use land for a public service) for telecommunications and energy distribution.

  • The land is made up of lots 6 709 470 to 6 709 473, beside 1re Rue between 55e Avenue and 56e Avenue in Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles.
  • The transfer is to the four bordering property owners and is free of charge, according to the city staff summary.
  • The easement covers lot 6 709 470 and parts of lots 6 709 471, 6 709 472 and 6 709 473.

What it means for you#

  • The four bordering property owners: The city is closing the alley to allow the land to be transferred to them at no charge. The summary says all four owners support the transfer.
  • People who use the alley: The city is closing a public alley that staff say is not essential for access or rear service to the bordering buildings. The materials do not describe any other access changes.
  • The utility services: The decision creates an easement for telecommunications and energy distribution on the specified land. The materials do not say how this will affect the owners’ use of the land.
  • The public: This is a land transfer and easement decision. It does not create a new public service or set a new fee.

Money#

The land transfer is free; no estimate of other costs is provided.

  • City staff say the transfer will allow the city to collect property taxes on the transferred lots.
  • No publicly available information on the amount of future tax revenue or the cost of administering the transfer.

What is unclear#

  • The decision materials do not say how the four lots will be divided among the owners.
  • The materials describe steps to publish notice and register the bylaw, but do not give a date for the transfer to be completed.
  • The exact practical limits the utility easement places on owners are not explained.

Case for#

  • City staff say the alley is not needed for access or rear service to the bordering buildings, and that keeping it would leave the city responsible for managing it even though owners occupy it.
  • The transfer gives the bordering owners land they support receiving, while the easement protects telecommunications and energy distribution installations.
  • City staff expect the transferred lots to generate property-tax revenue for Montréal.

Case against#

  • A possible trade-off is that the city gives up public land without charging the owners; the materials do not state the land’s value.
  • The utility easement remains on the transferred land, but the materials do not explain its practical limits for the owners.
  • The materials do not provide an estimate of the city’s administrative costs or the expected tax revenue.