Doug Tarry Subdivision Plan for New House

Why Grading of the Yard & Backyard Swales are Important

Final grading is completed soon after the curbs and sidewalks are installed. The grades for each lot are determined before the house is even started. Our engineer, at the request of the City of St. Thomas approves the “grading plan”. These grades fit in to the overall grading plan of the entire subdivision. These grades cannot be altered by the homeowner after he takes possession of his home. Changes to these grades may prove OK for the person making the changes, but could pose a problem for adjacent homeowners. Critical areas are the swales between houses and any rear yard swales. Rear yard swales are always potential problem areas because they are at the back of the lot where storage sheds and gardens are commonly located. They cannot be located in the swales, as they will block the flow of water between lots. The City has the right to remove any gardens or sheds which are inhibiting the function of the swale. It is best to stay clear of these areas, or ask the city for information as to how close one can encroach to them. As a developer, I often find that builders are not the best people to ask such advice, as they are often not as knowledgeable as they should be in such matters. The City engineering department is the best source of such advice as they are ultimately the government body, which polices this property issue.