[CANUFNET] Underground utilities and Municipal Design Standards

[Peter Wynnyczuk]

Hi,
Look to the City of Ottawa as they have an excellent new  model.
Regards
Peter Wynnyczuk
 
------ Original Message ------
From: canufnet at list.web.net
To: canufnet at list.web.net; canufnet-owner at list.web.net Cc: 
woodc at halifax.ca; Karam.Tay at halifax.ca
Sent: Wednesday, November 27th 2024, 14:15
Subject: [CANUFNET] Underground utilities and Municipal Design Standards
 
Hello folks,
 
I’m looking to get some perspective from across the country.
 
In Halifax, we are encountering the issue of finding suitable locations 
to plant street trees in new subdivisions. The frontages are already 
very narrow for many of our suburban lots, and the utilities (site 
services), based on our design standards, are located in the lawns, 
challenging the plantings of trees in said lawn.
 
In most other jurisdictions that I have worked, the utilities (site 
services) are often located under the driveways, which opens the lawn to 
planting trees without conflict. While I haven’t sat down to speak with 
the Utilities in Halifax, or the Engineers responsible for our design 
standards just yet, I’m trying to get a sense, from other judications, 
as to why Halifax might differ. I suspect a reason to locate utilities 
under a driveway would be to free the lawns to planting, but also 
suspect the utilities may have reason not to want their assets under the 
driveway for maintenance.
 
I would appreciate any perspectives or experiences with this matter. Or 
to put it another way… if other municipalities have design standards 
requiring the utilities be located under the driveways, how did they 
accomplish this so that I might learn. Was it a tree planting argument? 
or were there other reasons?
 
Any perspective, constructive comment, or advice is appreciated.
 
Crispin Wood
MANAGER of Urban Forestry
INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE & OPERATIONS
Public Works
 
HΛLIFΛX
PO BOX 1749
HALIFAX NS B3J 3A5
halifax.ca <http://www.halifax.ca/>
 
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