Page 17 - BCCGA Best Practices Version 3.0

16 British Columbia Common Ground Alliance
CURRENT PRACTICE: Submission requirements for site plan approvals should
include the following existing and proposed utility information:
Ÿ The site plan should outline existing and proposed sanitary and storm water
drains, catch basins, Siamese connections and curbing, hydrants, utility
poles, pole anchors, and light standards, and
Ÿ The draft plan of the subdivision should cover municipal services that are
available or will be available to the land that is proposed to be subdivided
BENEFITS: The requirement to have utility infrastructure locations identified
on draft and site plans should ensure facility owners/operators become fully
aware well in advance of the development and excavation activity that will
impact on their facilities. This requirement should also facilitate the optimal use
of the land being developed, and maintain the integrity of the utility
infrastructure.
1-4 GATHERING INFORMATION FOR DESIGN PURPOSES
PRACTICE STATEMENT: The designer or engineer should use all available and
reasonable resources for acquiring information about utility facilities in the area
to be developed.
PRACTICE DESCRIPTION: The designer or engineer needs to gather all
available information from the facility owners/operators during the planning or
preliminary design phase of a project. Such information that would be
necessary includes maps of existing, abandoned and out-of-service facilities, as-
builts of facilities in the area, proposed projects, and schedules of work in the
area.
A means of gathering information is to contact the one-call centre, facility
owners/operators, property owners, public utility commissions (PUCs), and
government (municipal, provincial, and federal) departments and agencies.
Another means would be to review the site for above ground evidence of
underground utilities. Items such as permanent signs or markers, manhole
covers, vent pipes, power and communication pedestals, and valve covers can
all indicate evidence of an underground utility. If using the latter method, the
designer should be purposeful in gathering the required information. The
designer should use the information for the purposes of route selection and
preliminary neighbourhood impacts, and for the evaluation of different design
possibilities.