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.
