Module 5: Residential Site Planning

Question 1

Consideration to external factors when development or consolidation of parcel of land takes place?

Answer 1

Adjacent and beighbourhood land use patterns
Does this include existing zoning?
Stream and drainage sources
Visuals, smells and sounds
Neighbouring aesthetic character
Public utility locations and capacities
Transportation ways and systems
Proposed match current?

Question 2

Which external consideration should be taken first?

Answer 2

Existing zoning, with current and proposed zoning around it

Proposed layout of roads and streets must be compatible with adjacent street pattern

Comply with overall conceptual plan for the area?

Question 3

When a site if being presented, what should be established?

Answer 3

Exact location, shape, size relative to adjacent properties

Reference legal plans and plans of subdivision at the LTO

Establish legal boundary of the site and of adjacent properties
This get widths of adjacent road allowances

Question 4

Why must existing road allowance widths be determined?

Answer 4

Determine the need for any additional road dedications

Ex: an adjacent rural road may have been designated a future arterial road, so road may have to be widened. Accomplished during subdivision process

This ensures the newly created lots along road will be of adequate size with the proper building setback to suit future upgrading of the road

Question 5

What does a title search accomplish?

Answer 5

Confirms ownership and any other parties having an interest in the property

Establish if any ROWs (road, railroad, hydro) or easements (service and service access) have been established on, or adjacent to, the property

Question 6

How to establish the name, pavement width, condition of road surface and location of sidewalks, curbs and gutters?

Answer 6

Review adjacent roadway system and ‘Record’ or ‘As Constructed’ drawings of a municipality should be carried out

May establish where sidewalks should be located and determine the nature and extent of any offsite road improvements that may be required

Question 7

After initial site considerations, what comes next? Considerations of this type include? Where can this information be obtained?

Answer 7

Location, size, capacity of existing or nearest utilities

External Site Factors! Includes:

Sanitary sewers
Capacity and impact of proposed development on tributary flows may be a problem

Storm sewers
Location of sewers, ditches, creeks should be established

Water mains
Water supply for residential consumption and firefighting needs
Establish boundaries and extent of pressure zones and the ability to provide the necessary flows

Electrical power
Any upgrades needed?

Communications

Gas

Information of urban plans showing existing developments, utilities and servicing requirements are public documents

Can be obtained from local authorities

Municipal halls, regional districts
Planning and engineering departments

Question 8

What may affect sanitary sewers?

Answer 8

Local topography

May require pumping station

Treatment plant may need upgrading if the proposed development is large enough and staged over years

Question 9

Why must the location of storm sewers, ditches and creeks be established?

Answer 9

Discharge of storm drainage from proposed development has to be accommodate and handled in satisfactory manner

May require approval of the Department of Federal Fisheries and Oceans, Recreational Fisheries Branch of the Ministry of Environment

May need conceptual plans of ideas at early level of planning to determine impacts

Do any creeks, ditches flow into the proposed site?

May need to expand mapping of discharges of system into adjacent tributary lands

Question 10

What type of information may be needed to establish the nature and extent of upstream lands?

Answer 10

Topography maps with contour lines

Air photos help identify ground cover and tree stands

Question 11

Feasibility study can help with…

Answer 11

Developers engage planning and engineering consultants to complete a feasibility study for a given site

Question 12

Ways in which existing buildings, railroads and power lines can affect the proposed development?

Answer 12

Impact location of entries and exits to development
Impacts prevailing winds
Sounds, smells which may be nuisance
Sunlight

Question 13

Final checks include what?

Answer 13

Prepared by the district or municipality

Can be many things, different for each municipality/regional district

Could include (Taken from Columbia Shuswap Regional District)
Obtain a copy of certificate of title

Is your property within a ____ zoned area (blank refers to that regional district)

Is your property within a Development Permit Area
Is your property within the Agricultural Land Reserve
Contact MoTI
Obtain building, plumbing, solid fuel burning permit (?)
Contact Technical Safety BC
Contact Registered Onsite Wastewater Practictioner or Professional Engineer
Contact BC Housing

Question 14

External Services: What needs to be established first? Consideration then to?

Answer 14

Location, size and capacity of existing or nearest utilities

Consideration to

Sanitary sewers
Storm sewers
Water mains
Electrical power
Gas

Question 15

Problems with proposed developments on sewers?

Answer 15

Sewers

Capacity and impact on tributary flows
Local topography may require local pumping station to connect to existing gravity system

Treatment plant may need upgrading

Question 16

Why must the location of sewers, open ditches and creeks be established?

Answer 16

Discharge of storm drainage from proposed development must be handled appropriately

May have to also deal with site discharge but also lands, creeks and springs that flow into lot

Question 17

Internal Site Factors: Road and Lot Layout principles?

Answer 17

Principles

Proposed plan should blend with natural features of the land
Take advantage of views
Proposed density should conform with existing zoning, proposed zoning
Comply with overall objectives of the community or neighbourhood plan
Show dimensions and classifications

Question 18

What are unopened road allowances? What is gazetting? How to close ROW or gazetted road?

Answer 18

Road that exists on a legal plan but was never constructed
May exist adjacent or across property
Conceptual plan may indicate that portions of a previously dedicated or gazetted road ROW be closed in favour of a revised alignment

Gazetting

No longer used

Refers to establishing a public highway or public access simply by the Crown publishing a notice to that effect in the BC Gazette

Did not require legal survey plan or to be deposited at LTO

Establish a ‘road exchange bylaw’

Includes a public hearing so that interested parties can be informed and raise concerns regarding the realignment

Question 19

Creeks, ravines and ROWs principles?

Answer 19

Principles

Are creeks traversing the property of interest to the Ministry of Environment or Federal Fisheries Department?

May require restrictive covenant (document registered against the property in LTO that places specific restriction on land use)

Lot layout MUST integrate the preservation of such areas

Must identify the location and purpose of ROWs, easements registered against property

Includes powerlines, gas pipes

Question 20

Existing Contours

Answer 20

Use contours to establish the natural lay of the land
Slope, aspect, gradient
Acquire a topographic survey if contours are not enough
Will show steep grades and swampy conditions

Question 21

Natural Features considerations

Answer 21

Location and nature of rock outcrops, tree stands, natural springs and ravines

Tree preservation plan to retain significant trees perhaps

Natural hazards present?

Snow avalanches
Rolling rocks
Unstable soils

Question 22

Conceptual Site Servicing principles? When is it really needed? factors?

Answer 22

Principles

I guess determining where servicing difficulties might be encountered

Preliminary calculations showing adequacy if water main system may be required (water pressure zones)

Septic tank disposal? Percolation tests?

Soils capacity to absorb the effluent from a septic field

Really needed when underground utilities are to be provided. Factors:

Show location and grades

Excessive grades (>12-15%) may require preliminary profiles to illustrate possible or alternate solutions

Question 23

Conceptual Site Drainage principles?

Answer 23

Includes storm water management

Principles

Ensure compliance with policies and regulations

Show proposed development in relation to natural catchment area

What lands drain on to property

How on site drainage will be controlled

Impact of discharge on downstream sewers, creeks

Reference lot grading techniques, proposed flood routes for surface flow

Is development near flood prone zone?

Question 24

Landscaping principles? In relation to commercial/industrial zones? Other influences on the need for special landscaping?

Answer 24

Principles

Screening
Privacy
Reduce noise
Aesthetics

Adjacent to industrial/commercial zones?

Preserve natural tree stands
Landscaping could be a buffer zone

Other influences

Reduce noise from arterial roads
Reverse frontage onto arterial roads

Question 25

Subsoil conditions principles

Answer 25

Must have some knowledge of subsoil structure

Presence of bedrock?
Unstable ground?
High ground water table?

Valuable subsurface mineral content?
Gravel
Sands

Question 26

Existing buildings principles? If they are retained, what are requirements?

Answer 26

Do existing buildings need to be demolished? Relocated? Retained?
If retained:
Buildings must conform with proposed layout
Must not encroach on adjacent properties
Certificate of Non-Encroachment

Question 27

List some internal site factors

Answer 27

Subsoil conditions
Existing buildings
Landscaping
Unopened road structures
Natural Landscape
Site Draining
Site Servicing
Existing Contours
Bodies of Water

Question 28

Bodies of Water principles. What must be shown? What dictates access requirements?

Answer 28

Development location must be clearly identified
Access to waterfront must be shown
Fluctuation in water level must be shown

Size and depth of body of water dictates access requirements

Question 29

What is Site Assessment: what needs to be followed if the proposed development is adjacent to the ALR? What does frontage need to have?

Answer 29

Site assessment

Suitability of land and planning designation, depth of undisturbed native mineral soil

Observation holes, percolation test holes
Soils texture and structure
Ground discharge proposed, method of treatment
Ground and soil conditions
Surrounding or future planning development
Density and lot sizes proposed
Number of units
Topography and drainage
Site grading plans
Indication of level of hydrogeological sensitivity
Depth to ground water
Groundwater conditions (confined, unconfined, perched aquifers)
Soil moisture and near surface ground water conditions
Qualification of site evaluators
Site capability

ALR adjacent

Must follow ALR subdivision standards

Frontage

Access to public road allowance
Each lot must have its own legal access and provision for an adequate driveway
Lot slopes may restrict driveway grades

Question 30

What are servicing corridors? What are the primary services?

Answer 30

Each lot must be fully serviced; so each house must have provision for the house to be connected to the primary services at the property line

Gravity flow connections are provided at standard locations along front property
Service corridors are on easements/ROWs through lots

When they have to cross private property, They are potential sources of problems

If they straddle property lines, fences may have to be removed if repairs are needed

Solution: place ROW completely on one side of the lot line (setback now becomes full width of the proposed ROW)

ex: building envelope cannot encroach on right of way see https://docs.google.com/document/d/14V81691LvPTYg9SI_PuacgqVr0zLg6FZgD4u7m7Dauc/edit

Primary services

Storm
Sanitary
water
Power

Question 31

How to illustrate how proposed lots would drain? Methods of grading lots for drainage control?

Answer 31

Prepare an overall lot grading plan, as part of the stormwater management policy

Objective is to maintain a surface drainage regime for the protection of homeowners

Each lot must meet legal requirements under zoning bylaw and remain independently serviced

Methods

Can be Independently or collectively

Swale (form of ditch), very shallow with gentle sloping sides, forms a channel for overland flow from lawns to drain

Use ROW to preserve

Will prevent downstream neighbours causing interruption

ROWs are registered as a charge against title in favour of adjacent lot

Prevent sewer backup by establishing minimum basement elevations

Should reflex elevation of the minimum habitable floor area

Raising the basement floor slab by a few inches (above water table?)

Storm sewer surcharging = situation where the sewer entrance and exit are submerged, pipe is flowing full and under pressure; surface of wastewater in manholes rises about the top of the collection pipe

Sump pumps and backflow preventors stop surcharging of gravity sewer connections

Question 32

List and describe the external servicing considerations that may influence the lot layout proposed for a given site

Answer 32

Gas

Need to find location of existing, proposed
ROWs

Electricity

Need to find location of existing, proposed
ROWs

Drainage

Creeks, rabies, ditches
Flowing from, into; tributary, downstream
Affecting neighbours?

Storm sewers

Find location of them!

Water

Water bodies? Need clear surveys of water levels, fluctuations
Water supply for both residential and firefighting needs
Boundaries and extent of pressure zones, ability to provide flows
Rainfall cache basins?

Sanitation

Need additional pumping stations?
Gravity fed system ok?
Upgrades at sanitation facilities needed?
Capacity
Impact of proposed development on tributary flows

Question 33

State the three non-service type considerations and give examples of the positive or negative effect on the subdivision of these types of external factors

Answer 33

Visuals, smells, sounds, aesthetics

Adjacent and neighbourhood land use patterns

Surrounding land use may already have satisfactory utilities installed, servicing requirements planned
Zoning may be inconsistent with desired density/type of development in mind
May require additional landscaping

Transportation ways and systems

Provides entrance, exit, access to development
May need widening, changes; noisy

Question 34

List the typical servicing requirements for a new development in your area. How do these compare with the services provided for your particular home?

Answer 34

Schedule B: Standards for Street Configurations

Schedule C: Standards for Clearing, Grading, Draining and Surfacing Streets

Schedule D: Standards for Water Distribution Systems

Schedule E: Standards for Sanitary Sewage and Storm-Water Collection Systems or Combined Sewer Collection Systems