Regina Couple's Seven-Year Struggle with Driveway Bylaw Enforcement
Greg and Linda Flaman have reached a breaking point in their ongoing dispute with the City of Regina over what they describe as unequal application of municipal bylaws. The couple, who have lived in their west Regina home for four decades, have spent seven years petitioning the city to address what they see as inconsistent enforcement of driveway regulations on their street.
"One Side Shouldn't Be Treated Differently"
"One side of the street shouldn't be treated different than the other side of the street," said Linda Flaman, who has been actively petitioning the city since 2017. "It's been very frustrating dealing with them. It's not a dispute with the neighbors anymore; it's a dispute with the city not equally applying bylaws to each of us."
The Flamans' frustration stems from what they perceive as a double standard in how the city enforces its own regulations. While their property is held to strict municipal parking and development standards, they claim a neighboring property across the street has been allowed to maintain a non-compliant driveway for years without consequence.
The Gravel Lane Grievance
The core of the dispute centers on a horseshoe-shaped gravel lane that circles the only house on the opposite side of the street. Originally city-owned land, the lane was sold to the property owner in 2019 with the understanding it would be paved into a private hard-surface driveway, as required by Regina's zoning rules.
According to both the Community Standards Bylaw and Zoning Bylaw, residential driveways used for parking must have a hard surface such as concrete, asphalt, or brick. However, seven years after the initial complaints began, the lane remains unpaved but continues to be used for parking.
Linda Flaman documented the issue with photographs showing vehicles occasionally spilling onto green space when parked along the gravel lane. She first brought the matter to city attention in 2018 with a letter to then-mayor Michael Fougere, which eventually led to the Regina Planning Commission's involvement.
City's Response and Ongoing Frustration
When contacted about the situation, the City of Regina provided an emailed statement indicating that while it takes public complaints seriously, it "reserves the right to choose how to enforce Bylaws and prioritize resources in order to best serve the needs of the community as a whole."
The Flamans report being bounced between multiple city departments including bylaw enforcement, parking enforcement, planning, and real estate, only to receive conflicting answers about bylaw specifications and enforcement procedures. Despite making numerous service requests regarding the apparent violation, they say they have never received a clear explanation about why the city hasn't pursued the property owner to correct the driveway issue.
"It's been seven years of back and forth with the city," said Greg Flaman, standing with his wife outside their Regina home. "We just want fair and equal treatment for everyone on our street."
Broader Implications for Municipal Governance
This case highlights ongoing challenges municipalities face in consistently enforcing property standards across all neighborhoods. The Flamans' experience raises questions about:
- How cities prioritize bylaw enforcement resources
- The consistency of regulatory application across different properties
- The effectiveness of municipal complaint resolution processes
- Communication between city departments and residents
As the Flamans continue their quest for what they see as equitable enforcement, their seven-year struggle serves as a case study in the complexities of municipal governance and the challenges residents face when they believe city regulations are being applied inconsistently within their own neighborhoods.
