Commercial & Multi-Family Site Grading

Commercial and multi-family site grading throughout the City of Saskatoon is regulated as per Bylaw No. 9772 – The Drainage Bylaw, 2021. The information below outlines the requirements and approval procedure for site grading associated with commercial building permits.

A site grading plan is required as part of the commercial building permit application. In addition, effective October 1, 2021, the City requires a final site grading inspection for all new commercial and multi-family developments that require site grading.

Any building permit application, including commercial, multi-family, and institutional forms of development, received after October 1, 2021 will be required to follow the commercial/multi-family site grading procedure outlined below.

Commercial Site Grading Procedure

1. Application
   1. ​Your property must be surveyed by a professional land surveyor and a site grading plan prepared by a qualified professional. See Commercial Site Grading Plan Requirements for details.
   2. Submit the site grading plan as part of the building permit application.
   3. The site grading plan will be reviewed prior to the issuance of a building permit.
2. Rough Grade Inspection (optional)
   1. The developer is responsible to schedule an inspection at the rough grade stage if desired. 
   2. Rough grading may be reviewed on site with a drainage inspector.
   3. If alterations are made to rough grading, that are not indicated on the approved site grading plan, then you are required to re-submit the site grading plan for approval.
3. Final Grade Inspection (mandatory)
   1. The developer/property owner is responsible to schedule an inspection after completion of final grading. Site grading must be completed in accordance with the approved site grading plan.
   2. A drainage inspector will inspect the site to confirm compliance with the approved site grading plan and complete a site grading inspection report.
   3. Deficiencies will require correction and re-inspection.
   4. If deficiencies are not corrected, enforcement action may be taken in accordance with the Drainage Bylaw.
   5. Final grade approval is required to be obtained within 9 months of the building permit closure, occupancy, or partial occupancy of the site – whichever occurs earlier.

For more information, refer to the City’s Guide to Commercial Site Grading.

Commercial Site Grading Plan Requirements

The following information must be included in the commercial site grading plan:

1. Certification by a Saskatchewan land surveyor, professional engineer or architect.
2. Scaled drawing of the property in metric units.
3. Legal description and civic address.
4. Project information: Owner and applicant/developer contact information, development boundary, north arrow, revision box, legend, and notes.
5. Existing and proposed geodetic surface elevations at reasonable intervals around the perimeter of the property.
6. Existing and proposed locations of structure(s).
7. Proposed geodetic surface elevations adjacent to the foundation walls or concrete slab of structure(s).
8. Text indicating matching of adjacent property line elevations or proposed retaining wall location(s) and top of wall elevations.
9. Proposed directions of surface storm water flow indicated by arrows and gradient expressed in percentage.
10. Proposed locations and elevations of drainage swales and/or other drainage structures with direction of flow indicated by arrows and gradient expressed in percentage.
11. Proposed location and direction of foundation drainage sump discharge and roof drainage downspouts.
12. Proposed locations and rim elevations of all catch basins and manholes.
13. Proposed connection to the City storm sewer.
14. Landscaping areas, parking areas, driving surfaces, and curbs, including the labelling of all surface materials (asphalt, concrete, grass, etc.).
15. Calculations for on-site storm water management.
16. Calculations for the sizing of a flow restriction device.
17. On-site storm water retention areas (hatched) with approximate volume and spillover elevations.
18. Calculations for the sizing of an oil/grit separator.

See examples of a Commercial Site Grading Plan and Commercial Site Servicing Plan.