Site and Grading Plan

Before you can start building your dream home or your dream renovation, you need to obtain a building permit first.  A Site and Grading plan is part of the building permit application package and most municipalities require one to be submitted.  Unfortunately that’s when things become complicated.  Every municipality and conservation authority have differing requirements and obtaining a permit can be a daunting task, costing you both time and money.

The purpose of a Site and Grading Plan is to show the municipality that after completion of the build, water will not pool on the site and neighbors will not be flooded.  A general guideline for a Site and Grading plan project is difficult to establish due to differing requirements, but IBW Surveyors can help guide you through the entire process based on your specific development intent and location.

IBW completes hundreds of Site and Grading plans each year and can help you:

• Reduce turnover time.  IBW has experience working with municipalities directly and knows their requirements to ensure a smooth process.
• Minimize deficiencies.  Having deep knowledge of municipal requirements to identify issues early and provide what municipalities want.
• Find peace of mind.  We will assign dedicated project managers to take care of your project from start to finish.

There are a few general steps before and after building permit applications are made.  There are several drawings involved to work in coordination with each other in order for the Site and Grading plan to be prepared.

General Project and Permitting Workflow

General list of requirements before a Site and Grading plan can be initiated:

• A completed set of building drawings (including cross sections and foundation typically provided by your architect or engineer)
• A septic design (If the subject lot is privately serviced, typically provided by a septic designer/installer)
• Municipal services – drawings from municipality and/or stub sheet for lateral locations (some municipalities require P.Eng for new service installation design)
• A siting plan showing the preferred locations of the building(s) to be included in the development.  (IBW can help do this under your direction, or it can be prepared by other professionals)
• A Topographic and Boundary Survey of the property. If building an addition, a Surveyor’s Real Property Report will be required. (IBW can provide such surveys previous to the Site and Grading Plan work being undertaken)

Notes on general project and permitting workflow

This general guide considers the compressed process of most municipalities comprising Southern and Central Ontario.  It is important to note that if the terrain of an existing lot is moderately variable, your architect may benefit by having the topographic and boundary plan at the time of the architectural design phase.  This will help minimize the cost of your construction by designing with the existing topography.  This will also ensure that there is an adequate buildable area on the lot based on zoning and conservation requirements.

If your property falls within a regulated area under a conservation authority, a clearance letter or conservation permit will be required prior to the issuance of a building permit.  In this scenario we would encourage you to bring the development proposal to the conservation authority for a pre-consultation before the Municipality.  If you are unsure as to whether or not your property is regulated, there is a very helpful resource available at www.conservationontario.ca, which will help identify this, and direct you to additional information.

If you would like to discuss this with one of our Site Plan Specialists, please reach out to us to schedule a free phone consultation.

Example Site and Grading Plan Surveys

Below you will find the survey samples of what a complete Site and Grading Plan Surveys will resemble.