What site development includes
Site development covers everything between acquiring a property and pouring the foundation. That includes site surveying, geotechnical assessment, environmental review, grading design, erosion and sediment control planning, storm water management, servicing connections (water, sewer, hydro, gas, telecom), and municipal approvals.
On a straightforward lot in a developed area, some of this is routine. On a steep North Shore lot with mature trees, a creek setback, and complex soil conditions, the site development phase can take as long as the building construction itself.
North Shore site conditions
Building on the North Shore means dealing with conditions that don't exist in most of Metro Vancouver. Lots in upper North Vancouver (Lynn Valley, Edgemont, the British Properties) often have 20 to 40% grades. That means engineered retaining walls, tiered foundation systems, and drainage designs that handle both surface water and groundwater.
Tree protection bylaws in the District of North Vancouver require arborist assessments and can restrict where you build on your own property. If a significant tree sits where your garage was planned, the building envelope shifts. We work with arborists, civil engineers, and the municipal planning department to sort these constraints out before design starts, not after.
Drainage and storm water management
Drainage compliance on the North Shore has gotten stricter in recent years. The District of North Vancouver requires on-site storm water management for new construction and major renovations, typically rain gardens, infiltration galleries, or detention systems. The City of North Vancouver has similar requirements.
We coordinate drainage design with civil engineers and ensure that storm water management is integrated into the site plan from the start. Getting this wrong isn't just a code issue. It's a liability issue. Water that isn't managed properly on a steep North Shore lot doesn't just sit there. It goes downhill, and it takes soil with it.
Municipal approvals and permits
Site development permits are separate from building permits, and in some municipalities they need to be approved before a building permit application can be submitted. We manage the full approval sequence: development permit (where required), site servicing approval, tree management plan, erosion and sediment control plan, and building permit.
We also handle the less glamorous but equally important paperwork: highway use permits for equipment access, blasting permits where rock removal is needed, and utility connection applications with Metro Vancouver and local providers.
Common questions
What does site development include?
Everything between acquiring a property and pouring the foundation: site surveying, geotechnical assessment, environmental review, grading design, erosion and sediment control planning, storm water management, servicing connections, and municipal approvals.
Why does site work take so long on the North Shore?
On a straightforward lot in a developed area much of it is routine. On a steep North Shore lot with mature trees, a creek setback, and complex soil conditions, the site development phase can take as long as the building construction itself.
How steep are North Shore lots?
Lots in upper North Vancouver such as Lynn Valley, Edgemont and the British Properties often have 20 to 40 percent grades. That means engineered retaining walls, tiered foundation systems, and drainage designs that handle both surface water and groundwater.
Can tree bylaws stop me building where I want?
They can. Tree protection bylaws in the District of North Vancouver require arborist assessments and can restrict where you build on your own property. If a significant tree sits where your garage was planned, the building envelope shifts.
What are the drainage rules in North Vancouver?
The District of North Vancouver requires on-site storm water management for new construction and major renovations, typically rain gardens, infiltration galleries, or detention systems. The City of North Vancouver has similar requirements.
Why is drainage treated as a liability issue?
Water that is not managed properly on a steep North Shore lot does not just sit there. It goes downhill and takes soil with it. We coordinate drainage design with civil engineers so storm water management is part of the site plan from the start.
Are site development permits separate from building permits?
Yes, and in some municipalities they need to be approved before a building permit application can even be submitted. We manage the full sequence: development permit where required, site servicing approval, tree management plan, erosion and sediment control plan, and building permit.
Do you handle equipment access and blasting permits?
Yes. That includes highway use permits for equipment access, blasting permits where rock removal is needed, and utility connection applications with Metro Vancouver and local providers.
Estimate your project
Renovation Cost Calculator →Further reading
- What Your Contractor Doesn't Budget For Before Breaking Ground on the North Shore
Stormwater management plans, soil permits, and sediment control bylaws catch North Shore homeowners off guard more than almost anything else. Here's what's actually required, and why it's more complex here than anywhere else in Metro Vancouver.
- North Vancouver Zoning Basics Before You Renovate
Setbacks, lot coverage, floor space ratio, and height, explained plainly, plus what recent density changes actually allow on a North Vancouver lot.
- Renovation Permits in Vancouver and North Van: What Needs One
Which renovations need a permit and which don't, across Vancouver, the City of North Vancouver, and the District. Application process, fees, timelines, and what happens if you skip it.
- City vs. District of North Vancouver: Building Rules Compared
North Vancouver is two municipalities with different building departments, bylaws, and processes. Here's a practical comparison for anyone planning construction on the North Shore.
- Renovating in Lynn Valley, Deep Cove and Edgemont
Three North Vancouver neighbourhoods, three different sets of constraints. What changes about a renovation depending on which one you're in.
