Submitting a Development Application

Review the submission requirements for a Development Application.

Development application process

There are a number of items you are required to submit throughout the development application process. The submission requirements outline the minimum submission items for each land development application type. Additional documents may be required throughout the application process.

Preparing your submission in accordance with the guidance below will assist staff in reviewing your development application. You will find how to submit your application, fee estimates, application acceptance and how to track your project after the document and drawing requirements.

Forms, fees, & administrative documents

Review the items below to ensure each document is submitted accurately for a complete application package.

• Complete the Land Development Application Form.
• If you are submitting an application on behalf of the property owner(s), you need to complete the Letter of Authorization, to be signed by the registered owner(s) for each property that is part of the application.
• For strata properties, provide accompanying authorization form from the strata council (plus a resolution from the strata with 75% in favour).
• Ownership details included on the form must match the ownership information in the Title Search for each property.

• Provide one Title Search for each property included in the application.
• If the property is owned by a corporate entity, attach a current corporate/company search that includes the Director and Officer information.

• Provide one copy of all charges registered against each property included in the application (financial charges can be excluded).

• If the Applicant/Agent is not the registered owner of the property(ies), complete a Lobbyist Registration form.
• Complete all sections of the Lobbyist Registration Form (see Lobbyist Registration Policy).

• Under the Environmental Management Act and Contaminated Sites Regulation (CSR), a Site Disclosure Statement is required to be submitted when a commercial or industrial site has a history of activities defined under Schedule 2 of the CSR, or one or more of the triggers for site identification applies to the site and there are no applicable exemptions.
• If you are submitting an application which proposes to redevelop a site, you are required to include a Site Disclosure Statement with your application.
• This applies to any type of redevelopment.

• Owner to complete and sign letter for development permit applications involving buildings or major occupancies covered by the City’s Step Code requirements, including multi-family, commercial and industrial buildings.

Data sheets describe the site statistics of your proposed development. More than one may apply:

• Subdivision Data Sheet
• Development Application Data Sheet: Must be attached to all building plans that are submitted as part of a Rezoning, Development Permit, Development Variance Permit, Land Use Contract, and Neighbourhood Pub application.
• Commercial/Industrial Fascia/Awning Sign

This checklist is required for land development applications such as OCP Amendments, Rezoning and Development Permits.

To determine if this applies, schedule a pre-application meeting with Planning & Development staff. If required, submit the completed checklist by emailing a completed PDF or handing in a hardcopy form.

Plans & drawings specifications

Review each minimum submission item's applicable specifications required for your project to ensure you're submitting a complete and accurate application. Each drawing type must be collated into a single document. Individual sheets for a set of drawings will not be accepted.

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• Legal description and civic address(es) of parcels
• Bearings and dimensions of existing parcels
• Building envelopes
• Existing tree locations
• Existing grades at each corner of the parcel and spot elevations/contours of the property at one metre intervals
• Location of all registered easements and rights-of-way
• Existing street names
• If a watercourse is present within 30 metres of the proposed development, the location of the high water mark, top-of-bank, and required setbacks (as determined by a Qualified Environmental Professional) and as set out in Part 7A of the Zoning Bylaw

• Scale (in metric)
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• Legal description and civic address(es) of parcels
• Existing and proposed street names
• Proposed lot layout with dimensions for all lot lines (lot width/depth in metres) and lot area (in square metres)
• Location of existing watercourses, landscape buffers or other features
• Location and dimension of existing easements or rights-of-way
• Location and size of any proposed parkland, riparian area, or land to be conveyed to the City of Surrey
• If slopes on the property are equal to or greater than 30% (i.e., steep slopes), identify areas of steep slopes (i.e., hatching/shading) and provide a duplicate lot area by subtracting this area from the overall lot size calculation

• Scale (in metric)
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• Legal description and civic address(es) of parcels
• Existing street names
• Existing property lines
• Location of existing building envelopes
• Location of existing access, parking, and circulation areas
• Location of existing watercourses, landscape buffers or other features
• Location and dimension of existing easements or rights-of-way
• Proposed buildings/additions and/or landscape features
• Label setbacks (existing and proposed)
• Location Certificates for retained buildings and structures require floor area ratio (FAR), lot coverage, and setback information

All drawings for which an Architect is required must be signed and sealed by the Architect. Please ensure digital drawings are flattened so they are easier to review. Provide dimensions in SI or Metric (Imperial can follow in parenthesis).

Site statistics:

• Address
• Site size (gross and/or net as applicable)
• Official Community Plan (OCP) land use designation
• Neighbourhood Concept Plan (NCP)/Secondary Plan land use designation
• Proposed use and proposed zone

Development details:

• Density (FAR and UPH if applicable)
• Lot coverage
• Building height (in metres/storeys)
• Floor areas (total and per use)
• Parking rates (vehicle and bicycle)
• Unit types, sizes and breakdown
• Amenity areas (square metres)

Context plan:

• Broad scale (2 blocks) orthophoto with the building(s) footprint on the subject site, trees, vegetation, roads, watercourses, grading, and other major features within the site and on the abutting properties. Note, this is intended as analysis, rather than simply a location plan.
• Context photos
• Drawn context plan with:
  • ​​​​​immediately adjacent sites (all sides) existing building footprints (heights noted)
  • immediately adjacent sites (all sides) future potential building footprints (heights noted)
  • neighbour trees and proposed building(s)
    

  Base plan (a fully dimensioned separate drawing, on its own sheet, showing only):

  • Existing and new property lines dimensioned (show new PL in darker line weight, use traditional long dash, short dash/dot line type)
  • Corner cuts dimensioned
  • Statutory rights-of-ways and easements
  • Include a 0.5 m statutory right of way along streets clear of any fences, posts, steps or underground parking structures, as required by City of Surrey Engineering. Show street labels.
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  • Environmental/ALR/Hydro/etc., setbacks that are not easements
  • Trees proposed to be retained
  • Street labels

  Site analysis:

  • Provide site analysis diagrams to illustrate the site design issues, constraints and opportunities (i.e., setbacks, grading, surrounding land uses, existing trees, open space, pedestrian paths)

  Design concept (excluding townhouses):

  • Provide a schematic design diagram to illustrate the design concept and main organizing principles (i.e., vehicle access, pedestrian circulation, massing, views)
  • Provide photographs of example projects to illustrate the proposed design character for the building and landscaping

  Architectural site plan:

  For large sites that contain multiple buildings, site plans may need to be split to include a simpler full site plan, keying larger scale site plans for each construction phase, or plan area.

  • Colour is not required and should not be included
  • New property lines only (show ultimate/new property line in darker line weight)
  • Setbacks (use different line type from property line)
  • Locate all proposed buildings
  • Include buildings on neighbouring properties if setback less than 3m
  • Provide a clear ground floor building outline, with entrance locations indicated; overhanging levels above can be indicated with at dashed line and labeled
  • Include dimensions for :
    • overall site
    • setbacks (required and proposed)
    • overall building(s)
    • separation between buildings
    • at the corners of the site (illustrating any required retaining)
    • along shared property lines noting that grading 'meets' existing
    • along the PL at all entry points
    • top and bottom of retaining walls and stairs
    • elevations/location and slope percentage of any sloped walkways or ramps
    • main floor elevations

    Fire access plan:

    • Refer to the Fire Department Site Plan Requirements for Land Development Applications
    • Identify primary fire access entry(s)
    • Dimension fire access routes
    • Identify fire hydrant location
    • Identify turning radii for all fire truck movements
    • Identify stair access to above and below levels

    Floor plans:

    • All levels
    • Include retained trees and tree protection zone on ground floor and parking levels
    • Include property line setback dimensions
    • Overall building dimensions
    • Step-back dimensions from property line
    • Dashed line of floors above at perimeter if different
    • Gridlines

    Roof plan:

    • Identify proposed roofing finish (i.e., vegetated green or high-albedo roofing, patio surface, SRI value etc.)
    • Dimension area for mechanical equipment enclosure

    Elevations (required for all sites):

    • All elevations of all buildings including internal (or courtyard) elevations
    • Provide a site key plan indicating the location of each elevation
    • Label building elevations relative to North, South, East, and West, noting street names, where applicable, in parenthesis (i.e., North Elevation (104 Avenue))
    • Include doors, windows, material legend, and keyed material tags
    • Show the grade line at the property line in a clear, heavy line
    • Include the property line and setbacks where proximate
    • Do not include landscape. Separate landscape elevations may be provided
    • Identify measures to shield and mitigate noise generated from road traffic or transit infrastructure (where Acoustical Report required)
    • Exterior lighting
    • 3-dimensional massing illustrations are encouraged
    • Gridlines
    • Include the property line with reference label and setbacks where proximate

    Streetscape elevations:

    • Scaled drawing including elevations of all buildings, including the subject site, for the full block of each street the project faces
    • For towers: show additional ground level/podium elevations at a larger scale to show ground interface details
    • Label each subject building when there are multiple on site

    Detailed public realm sections:

    • At key public realm interface – entries, townhouse and commercial unit interfaces, commercial unit, plazas etc.
    • Enlarged scale section of ground and second levels
    • Include:
      • Sidewalk, boulevard, curb as established by civil engineering
      • Property line and setbacks
      • Dimensioned canopies, balconies, soffits, ventilation grilles, fences, privacy screens, signs etc.
      • Material labels and notes, in particular, soffits

      Sections:

      • Provide at least: two North-South sections and two East-West sections.
        • If the site is large, has steep slopes, or complicated grading please provide more than the minimum four sections

        Shadow studies (required for buildings 6 storeys and taller):

        • 10am, noon, and 2pm at the Spring Equinox and Summer Solstice
        • Include a clear orthomap below the shadows to clearly indicate the impact
        • When other building shadows are shown, distinguish the subject shadows in a different colour
        • Show surrounding neighbours