Residential Infill Grading and Servicing (RGS) Application Process

If your project falls under any one of the conditions below, a RGS Application cannot be initiated for the following cases:

• The project has an active Consent application for severance under review and/or the severance process has not been completed (i.e. municipal address not registered with Land Registry Office)
• The project has an active Minor Variance application under review and a decision has not been finalized
• The project is on a Heritage Property with an active Heritage Permit application and the Heritage Permit has not been issued.
• The project is for a non-residential lot (institutional/commercial/industrial).
• Residential development with more than 10 units.
• Additions with less than 50 square meters of existing surface impacted, or having no ground-level alterations.

For changes to grading related to non-residential properties, please refer to the Site Alteration Permit (SALT) page.

Determine the Type of RGS Application for which you are applying

Type	Description	Plan	Application Fee
Type I	New detached infill residential construction of any size involving proposed grading and/or servicing works	Grading & Servicing Plan (1 Plan)	$350 + HST
Type II	Residential addition with impact of 50 m2 or more to existing ground surface	Grading Plan required	$350 + HST
Type V	Service connection only (May be combined with any of the types above)	Servicing Plan required	To be determined
Type VI 1	Revision Application – Only for previously accepted applications	As per Application Type	To be determined

 ¹ This Application Type is for revisions after a RGS Acceptance was issued previously. It is NOT for re-submissions of an active application. The fee for the Revision Subtype may vary based on the nature of the revision. Revised Plan shall be uploaded at the time of application. A notification will be sent to the applicant regarding the required fee subsequent to application prescreening.

Service Connection Fee is determined after the acceptance of the RGS Application and quotation of the proposed services, in accordance to By-law 2002-276.

Application Type-II can be combined with Type-V when service connection upgrades are required with an addition.

Area of the addition is calculated based on the area of ground level disturbance. This will determine the type of RGS application.

Determine what supporting documents are required for your application

Depending on the the Application Type (refer to requirements checklist item to determine if it is applicable to your application):

1. Grading and/or Servicing Plan (See ePLAN Submission Standards)
2. Signed RGS Requirements Checklist
3. Heritage Permit (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 3)
4. TAPP and Arborist Report (See Tree Preservation Requirements or RGS Requirements Checklist Item 6)
5. Acceptance letters and plans from all authorities with jurisdiction (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 7)
6. Topographic Survey of existing site conditions (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 20)
7. Stormwater management (SWM) Brief (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 23)
8. TRCA Approved Grading Plan and Clearance Letter (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 33)
9. Utility Locate Records (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 39)
10. Servicing Locate Records (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 40)
11. CCTV Inspection Video (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 42)
12. Plumbing Data Form (See RGS Requirements Checklist Item 50)

The RGS Requirements Checklist can be found in the RGS Application Information Package [PDF].

Application Fee(s) must be paid immediately with the application.

Plan Requirements

For more details on application requirements, please refer to the ePLAN Submission Standards, RGS Application Information Package and the City of Markham Engineering Design Criteria and Engineering Standard Drawings.

ePlan (online) Application

Online electronic submission for RGS applications through ePlan is now available. Please note that hard copy or email submissions will no longer be accepted for new applications. Applications that began with hard copy or email submission will continue by email until Final RGS Acceptance is issued.

Prior to making an ePlan submission, the applicant must have a registered account in ePlan. Applicants may register a new account on the City’s website. For more information on how ePlan works, please refer to the tutorial videos on the City’s website. Also see the ePLAN Applicant Handbook and the ePLAN Submission Standards.

Application Submission

Application Submission

1. Once a registered account is created, the RGS Application can be applied through ePLAN by completing the online application. Refer to the RGS Quick Reference Guide and other ePlan Guides and Tutorials.
    
2. Provide the necessary application fee, where applicable.
    
3. An email from ProjectDox will be sent to the applicant requesting to “accept” the task to upload the required documents in support of the RGS Application.
    
4. Applicant to accept the task and upload the required documents to ProjectDox.
    
5. Upon completion of the Applicant Upload task, the application will enter into Prescreen for an overview of submission requirements. The RGS team will contact the owner and applicant to arrange for a pre-application consultation meeting during the Prescreen. Please refer to the RGS Information Package (page 2) for additional information.

RGS Review Process

1. Upon receipt of submission, the RGS Application is circulated to the Engineering, Operations Roads, and Tree Preservation Departments. Review and Acceptance from all three divisions are required prior to issuance of the Final RGS Acceptance.

    

2. Review process:
   1. The applications are entered into a review queue and are reviewed in the order of submission date.
   2. Review time varies depending on the volume of applications received. Generally, the response time is a minimum of four weeks. Correspondence is through ProjectDox or by email only.
   3. If revisions to the drawing are required, an email is sent to the Applicant, identifying the deficiencies and the required revisions.  Comments from Engineering, Operations Roads, and Tree Preservation are sent by ProjectDox at the same time.

   4. Plan resubmissions are to be uploaded to ProjectDox following the Markham ePlan Submission Standards.

       

3.     Once Engineering, Operations Roads, and Tree Preservation find the plan acceptable:
   1. If service connection works are required,
      1. A Quotation Letter indicating the estimated cost to carry out the service connection works, by a City Contractor, will be emailed to the Owner (and Applicant). Prior to issuance of Final RGS Acceptance, the Owner must bring a printed copy of the Quotation Letter and payment to 101 Town Center Boulevard - Drop Box, located outside the Thornhill Entrance. 
      2.  Payment is required in the form of a certified cheque, money order, or bank draft, including name of the Owner. Please place the letter and payment in an envelope marked, ‘Engineering Department’ and the RGS Application number. Please ensure cheques are payable to the City of Markham, and include ‘ENG,’ payee name and property address on the cheque.
      3. A RGS Lot Grading Undertaking Form (not required for Type V Applications) will be emailed to the Owner (and Applicant).

   2. If service connection works are not required, the application proceeds to Step 5.

       

4. Upon receipt of payment for service connection works, or if not required, the Owner and/or Applicant will receive an email notification from ProjectDox that a copy of the stamped, accepted RGS Plan can be downloaded.

    

5. The Undertaking Deposit is due for payment prior to issuance of Building Permit.  Refer to the last page of the RGS Application Package for the Lot Grading Undertaking Deposit Guide for applicable deposit amounts.

    

6. Please print the Undertaking Form and attach the form, with the payment in an envelope, marked, ‘Engineering Department’ and the RGS application number. Drop this off at the Markham Civic Centre drop box, located outside the Thornhill Entrance. Payment is required in the form of a certified cheque, money order, or bank draft, including name of the Owner. The Final RGS Acceptance and payment of the Lot Grading Undertaking Deposit are required prior to issuance of Building Permit.  For more details regarding Building Permit Applications, please contact the Building Standards Department.

    

7. If revisions to the grading and/or servicing design are required after the Final RGS Acceptance is issued, a re-submission is required for review and re-acceptance.  A review fee is required upon submission of the revised plan.

    

8. Following three Engineering reviews, an Engineering fee (minimum 3 hours) will apply to each review, thereafter. 

Construction and Inspections managed by the Engineering Department

Service connection works within the municipal right-of-way are carried out by City contractors and inspected by the Engineering Department.  Homeowners are responsible to engage their own private contractor for the installation of private service connections from the house to the streetline.

Lot Grading is inspected and managed by the Engineering Department.  House construction is inspected and managed by the Building Standards Department.

Lot Grading Undertaking Release

1. Upon completion of all lot grading work, the homeowner is to submit a Lot Grading Undertaking Release Request Form to the Engineering Department via this email address: dsc@markham.ca

    

2. An As-Built Drawing and a Grading Certificate (with a Professional Engineer's signature and seal, or an Ontario Land Surveyor) must be submitted with the Request Form.

    

3. Upon receipt of the Request Form and the required documents, an Engineering Inspector will review the documents and schedule an on-site inspection. If required, the Inspector will contact the homeowner.

    

4. When the lot grading has been found satisfactory to City Standards per the accepted Lot Grading Plan, a cheque for the associated undertaking amount is sent to the payee by mail.

Service Connection Installation Process

1. The City’s Service Connection Installation Contract is awarded through an Open Tender Process managed by the City’s Procurement Department.  All qualified contractors are eligible to bid.  The contract is awarded to the lowest bidder.

    

2. The Service Connection works to be carried out by the City Contractor include installation of new service connections within the City right-of-way (from the mainline in the road up to the front property line), decommissioning of existing service connections within the City right-of-way, and all related restoration works.

    

3. Prior to tendering, the homeowner will receive a Quotation Letter from the Engineering Department based on an estimated cost.  Payment must be made in order for the service connection works to be included on the tendering list.

    

4. Tendering takes place around March to August each year.  The final cost is adjusted upon completion of the tendering process, and the Engineering Department will advise the homeowner accordingly.

    

5. The Construction Season for service connection works takes place between May 1^st and October 31^st of each year. Any work that is not completed prior to the end of the Construction Season is to be completed in the following year.

    

6. After the service connection contract is awarded to the lowest bidding contractor, the installation of services are completed in 10-12 weeks.

    

7. The City is to contact the homeowner, or representative, prior to installation advising of the approximate installation date.

    

8. Preliminary works to prepare for construction begins immediately after the contract is awarded.  If the homeowner wishes to postpone the works, the homeowner must contact the Engineering Department in writing.  The cost of any preliminary works completed prior to the homeowner’s notification to postpone work is to be paid for by the homeowner.  Please note that a Demolition (or Building) Permit must be obtained prior to start of any service connection works.

    

9. Quotations for service connection works expire at the end of each construction season.  Adjustment in cost may apply if work is postponed past the said construction season.

Service Connection and Water Meter Hook Ups

1. Homeowners are responsible to engage their own private contractor for the installation of private service connections from the house to the streetline under the supervision of the Buildings Department Inspector. The homeowner’s contractor shall have the service connections installed from the house to the streetline, ready for hook up, prior to contacting the City for supervision and inspection.

    

2. When a new water meter is required, the homeowner shall contact Waterworks (Mr. Mario Rogue - 905-477-7000 Ext. 2053).