Parkridge Lot Information Package

Lot grading is the slope of the lot in order to provide good drainage away from the buildings in such a way that surface runoff from rainstorms or snowmelt is directed toward the storm sewer. Runoff is controlled through the use of side and back of lot swales to eliminate or minimize the impact on adjacent properties and to ensure proper overland drainage.

Complete development of all lots in an area may occur over a number of years and, unfortunately, some purchasers landscape their lot without proper consideration for the designated overland drainage pattern of the area. Early development does not preclude a homeowner’s responsibility to maintain this drainage pattern. If a homeowner obstructs drainage in any way, thereby creating a flooding problem for neighbours upstream, that homeowner must correct the situation at their own expense. Similarly, a lot should not be landscaped below design grades otherwise flooding may occur. In addition to this section please refer to the Residential Property Lot Grading Guidelines. 

Lot Grade Details
The following information has been prepared to assist the homeowner and contractor in setting the house elevations and final lot grades. Details are provided in the attachment drawings for each respective phase. 

1. Lot grading types are shown on attachment drawings including a three-dimensional view and side view of the grading type;
2. Lot grade drawings in the attachment drawings show the final design elevations at property corners and at other points that are deemed critical elevation points. It is important that builders and purchasers match these grades with final landscaping elevations. These elevations are required as a minimum for building plan approval; and
3. A drawing showing a cross-section of a typical side yard fence and side yard grading that will not impede side yard drainage.

During the initial stages of subdivision development, all streets, easements, lanes, and walkways are pre-graded to design elevations set to accommodate drainage throughout the area. In the case of the utility easements, the grade is constructed approximately 100mm (4 inches) below the final design grade, which allows the homeowner to add topsoil without creating drainage problems for neighbouring yards.

Once dwelling construction is complete, lot grading is a two-step procedure. The first step is the rough grade stage, which includes backfilling the foundation walls and shaping the lot to conform to the pre-grade drainage plan. When rough grading is complete, the lot should be within 7 to 20cm (3 to 8 inches) below the final design grade to allow for the addition of topsoil (4 to 6 inches). Once the lot is at the final design grade, topsoil and sod, wood chips, or other surface treatments can be installed.

It is strongly recommended that purchasers consult a legal surveyor or other qualified professional to get the final grade elevations to their lot before landscaping is started. 

Grading Between Lots
A sloped surface is required to effectively drain water away from the foundation walls, including under steps and decks in order to reduce the risk of water entering the basement during rainfalls or snowmelt. See figure below. Drainage swales are shallow sloped channels intended to move surface runoff away from lots toward the storm sewers. On the attachment drawings, drainage swales are shown on common property lines and should be graded in accordance with the Lot Grade Drawings.

If wood chips are to be used in the drainage swale the grade below this treatment must be at the final grade elevation to facilitate proper runoff to the storm sewer. 

Lot Grading Do’s & Don’ts
Do’s:

1. Do require construction plans to include finished grade elevations around the dwelling foundation and along property lines. Do not leave your dwelling and site grading to chance. Building Standards requires the submission of the lot corner elevations on the site plan submitted for building permit approval. It is strongly recommended that the plans also include finished elevations along the foundation and garage grade beam, garage slab, foundation windows, side property lines, edge of driveways and sidewalks (particularly along the side of the dwelling), and the top and bottom of any retaining feature. 
2. Do use a level to set the finished grades along the property line, particularly before installing sidewalks and fencing.
3. Do discuss with adjacent property owners’ final drainage grades along the property line. Proper lot drainage requires cooperation of adjacent purchasers.
4. Do undertake a final site inspection of easements, side yard and sidewalks with each sub-trade prior to releasing final payment.
5. Please disregard any grade elevation information displayed on electrical pedestals and transformer boxes. 

Don'ts:

1. Don’t excavate into the easement or berm. These contain critical utilities vital to the community.
2. Don’t fill the rear easement, as this will block the intended drainage.
3. Don’t build raised flowerbeds against the fence/property lines without making provisions for drainage (see attachment drawings).
4. Don’t try to build HIGHER than both adjacent neighbours. This leads to expensive provisions for retaining walls, and frequent flooding of neighbouring properties. 

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For more information, please contact Gerald Prefontaine, Drainage Inspector, Transportation and Utilities at 306-975-2320.

A concrete drainage swale will be constructed along the back of Lots 2 to 20, Block 892. The swale is 0.8 metres in width and is part of a registered 1.5 metre back of lot drainage easement. The concrete swale will be constructed in late Spring 2015. The north edge of the concrete swale begins 150mm inside the rear property line of the respective lots. On the lot grade drawings (Figure 5), there are final lot grades illustrated for the top edge of the concrete drainage swale, where your landscaping grades from the rear of your house will meet the concrete swale.

The concrete drainage swale is an integral component of the drainage system for the lots within the immediate area. This swale will direct overland storm water flow from the east edge of the swale to the storm pond. Lot owners need to ensure that this concrete swale is never blocked. Please take precautions during landscaping and fence construction to ensure that you do not cause storm water flooding

Do not block the concrete storm water drainage swale. Please ensure that the grades within the drainage easement are not disturbed and construction materials, including excavations, are not stored in this location. Any costs to regrade the drainage easement or to remove construction materials from the easement will be charged to the lot owner. Illustrations of the drainage swale are shown below and on the right side of this page.

Concrete Swale Typical - Rear Yard	Concrete Swale - Construction Profile	Concrete Swale - Side Yard Fence

In addition to this section, please refer to the Residential Property Lot Grading Guidelines.

Foundation Drainage (Weeping Tile) Requirements

• The bottom of every exterior foundation wall shall be drained as per the National Building Code. Connection of foundation drains of all buildings to the sanitary sewer collection system will not be permitted.

Discharge of Foundation Drainage Water

• All buildings are required to drain foundation water into a sump, which in turn discharges the water to the surface or to a storm sewer. 

Surface Discharge

• Sump pumps discharging to surface may not discharge directly onto a pervious ground surface within one metre of any building that has a basement or a level below the finished ground surface.
• The location of the point of discharge shall be directed away from adjacent properties. If the lot is split drainage (Type D), surface discharge may drain either to the front or back yard. If the lot drains from the back to the front (Type A), surface discharge must be to front yard. The discharge may not be into the area of the required side yard setback unless the side yard is adjacent to a street, park or buffer strip.

Discharge to Storm Sewer

• Sumps discharging to storm sewers shall be pumped to the main by a pressure service connection as per Figure below.

Sump Design Criteria - Sump Pit Details

• As per National Building Code 9.14.5.2, sump pits are to be a minimum of 750mm deep and 0.25 square metres in area.
• Sump pit is to be fitted with a tight fitting removable cover.
• Sump pit will be constructed of concrete, plastic, or non-corrosive metal. 
• Sump pit is to be fitted with an opening to accept a 100mm drain with the invert of the pipe located above centre of the sump pit height.
• Sump pit is to be placed on an even, well compacted surface.

Foundation Drainage (Weeping Tile) To Sump Pit

• A weeping tile collection system shall be provided around the building perimeter and tied to a sump pit using a positively graded, non-perforated, 100mm pipe which discharges into the side of the pit.
• Provision shall be made to ensure soil gas is prevented from entering the dwelling unit through the weeping tile and through the sump pit.

Sump Pump

• Provide a sump pump (column of submersible type) capable of pumping 50 L/m at three metres of head.
• The pump shall be fitted with an automatic on/off level control.
• The pump discharge must have a minimum pipe diameter of 32mm. The pipe must be adequately secured.
• Sump pumps connected directly to a storm sewer must be equipped with a spring-check valve and shut-off valve located downstream of the check valve, so that the connection to the main can be isolated from maintenance.

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In order to provide wayfinding in the community, please post your civic address at the front of the property when construction begins. Civic addresses can be found for each lot using the Interactive Map on the Saskatoon Land website. 

Purchasers are encouraged to landscape and maintain the boulevard along the front of their property and along the side of corner lots. Landscaped boulevards can create beautiful and diverse streetscapes, add character to communities, and increase feelings of community pride and safety.

Boulevards are defined as the landscaping space between the edge of the roadway and the property lines. Where the sidewalk is not attached to the curb, the boulevard is the space between the curb and the sidewalk and the sidewalk and the property line (see Figure below). Where the sidewalk is attached to the curb, the boulevard is the space between the sidewalk and the property line (see Figure below). These areas are required to be landscaped with a number of materials (for example: sod, established grass seed mix, paving stones, trees*, and gardens*). Please refrain from using materials that have height or mass and could restrict views or damage car doors when opening (for example: boulders). 

In order to qualify for the landscape portion of Saskatoon Land’s Rebate Program, the boulevard must be landscaped.

The Plant by Request Program is available to purchasers to request to have a tree planted in an available planting site on the boulevard. To inquire further regarding the Plant by Request Program, please contact Urban Forestry, Community Services at 306-975-2890.

The City of Saskatoon allows for gardening on City boulevards.  For more information please review the City of Saskatoon’s Boulevard Gardening & Maintenance Guidelines and complete the Boulevard Garden Agreement. To inquire further regarding the Boulevard Gardening and Maintenance Guidelines please contact Sustainability at 306-986-3733.

Starting Construction
Possession of the site is granted for construction purposes when the down payment has been received, finalizing the Agreement for Sale. In order to assist the utility companies, please post your civic address at the front of the property when construction begins. 

Disclosure of Adjacent Property Owners
Please note in order to facilitate discussions between property owners respecting lot grading, fencing issues and property maintenance issues, Saskatoon Land will, upon request, disclose the names and contact information of purchasers to adjacent property owners. 

Construction Waste
As per City of Saskatoon Bylaw No. 8310, The Waste Bylaw, 2004 any owner or contractor carrying out the construction of a building on any property shall place all waste into a waste container or enclosure. The owner or contractor shall dispose of all waste resulting from the construction in a timely manner so as to ensure there is no unreasonable accumulation of waste on the property during the construction. It is required that a waste disposal bin remain on each building site for the duration of construction in order to ensure that the waste is not dispersed on or around the property or surrounding properties. Upon completion of construction, it is the owner or the contractor’s responsibility to clear their site of all waste. If the waste is not removed, the City may remove the waste and all associated costs will be charged to the property owner or the contractor.

Earth Disposal
Builders and individuals will be responsible for disposing of their own excess earth material. Currently, there is no clean fill site located in Parkridge.  Builders can contact the City of Saskatoon Landfill as they may accept clean fill free of charge during normal hours of operation, 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. daily. If arrangements are made with another landowner to dispose of the material anywhere within the city limits, they are to contact Central Dispatch at 306-975-2491 and they will maintain a log of locations. If disposing of material outside the city limits within the RM of Corman Park, the RM must be notified of those arrangements. Please ensure basement excavations and all other construction waste materials are not deposited on adjacent properties or any other properties in this area without prior arrangements being made. Regular inspections of the area will be done and any individual or company found illegally disposing of materials on properties without the owner’s permission shall be liable to fines up to $25,000 as outlined in the City of Saskatoon Anti-Dumping Bylaw No. 5713.

Topsoil for Lot Landscaping
Builders may contact Saskatoon Land to see if topsoil is available free of charge for their property in the area. Please call Saskatoon Land at 306-975-LAND for up to date information on topsoil availability. Topsoil is not to be removed from other lots, boulevards, parks, or any other open spaces in the community.

Park Access Not Permitted
If the purchased lot is adjacent to parks and/or buffer areas approval is required before access is allowed through any park or easement for any purpose. This ensures all public property is maintained at a standard acceptable for the public to use and enjoy safely. Repair and clean-up are the responsibility of the Builder or homeowner and must meet the specifications as laid out in the City of Saskatoon Specifications: Parks. Any repairs or clean-ups not satisfying these standards will be completed by the Parks Division or a contractor assigned by a City department and billed back to the property owner.

If the park and/or buffer is, or appears to be, under construction please contact Saskatoon Land at 306-975-LAND.

If the park and/or buffer is completed you must apply for a Park Access Permit through the Parks Division. For more information contact the City of Saskatoon, Parks Division at 306-975-3300.

To ensure water quality is maintained throughout the initial stages of development in this phase; blue temporary water circulation boxes are installed on some properties. These temporary water circulation boxes are removed during the installation of the water and sewer connection to the house.

For more information, please contact the Construction and Design Division 306-975-2454. 

Please be advised that, as per the National Building Code, foundations for detached garages 55 m² (492 ft²) and larger must be designed by a design professional (engineer or architect) licensed to consult in The Province of Saskatchewan. The sealed design must be accompanied with a Letter of Commitment for field review. Garage Pads must not be constructed on rear lot easements. In addition, a utility corridor of 1.2 to 1.5 metres should be provided along the side property line for utility installations. 

Canada Post will provide mail delivery service to the community through centralized Community Mail Boxes. For proposed locations of these mailboxes please refer to the Interactive Map for mailbox locations. 

Crown Utility Corporations recently introduced a new joint servicing initiative that includes the installation of gas, electric and communications in a common trench from the main line to the dwelling. This approach achieves efficiencies for the installation of the service lines and addresses the challenges associated with space constraints. Please see Attachment 12 in the PDF Attachments, which includes information on shallow utility servicing and a site check readiness sheet, which lists the items required prior to the installation of services to your home.

Standard Lot
For further information on your shallow utility services, please contact the appropriate utility agency (SaskPower, SaskEnergy, Sasktel or Shaw Cable).

Saskatoon Water requires all developers and builders ensure markers showing the location of a curb stop are clearly visible to meter installers. Please see the Meter Installation Specific Drawing. As of Monday, November 22, 2021, water meter connection services will be denied if a marker is not exposed and visible.

Lower back and strain injuries sometimes occur when an installer must dig excessively to locate and expose a curb stop. By ensuring pipe markers are clearly visible, medical aid and lost time due to injury can be avoided.

Cooperation on this new requirement is very much appreciated. It will make water meter installations safer and more efficient.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Saskatoon Water Meter Department at 306-975-2538.

The extension of the Parkridge community is located south of Hart Road, east of Highway 7 and west of the previously developed portion of Parkridge. It is located in close proximity to the Blairmore Shopping Centre, the Shaw Centre and Bethlehem Catholic High School and Tommy Douglas High School. The community extension includes an additional three acres of linear park space connecting to the existing park and pathway system which extends east along Hart Road. A walkway to the north will also provide convenient pedestrian and cyclist access to the Blairmore Shopping Centre.