City administration proposes new building regulations

New building regulations on properties by the Saskatoon eastern riverbank could be coming soon.

A report from city administration recommends making a full report from a geotechnical engineer mandatory before developing near the river.

The regulations would cover any kind of building, from houses and pools to small additions like decks.

People hoping to get a construction license would need to front the cost of the report.

Kara Fagnou, director of building standards, said they tend to cost between $10,000 and $20,000.

She said the plan would help protect the structure of the riverbank.

“We’re proposing regulations to provide options for owners to continue development within the area while maintaining the integrity of the riverbank,” she told 650 CKOM’s Brent Loucks.

She said slumping is the main issue this would address.

Geotechnical engineers would evaluate the soil on geology, geometry, and the amount of water beneath the ground. Their report would be considered when deciding whether or not to grant a construction license.

Fagnou said some people were concerned with the cost of one of these reports, especially when it came to small projects. However, there could be another option that brings the price down.

“We’re including the option for a letter report from a geotechnical engineer,” she said.

“(That will allow them) to make a professional assessment of the level of detail they would put into their geotechnical report. That may reduce some of those costs.”

The affected area would go from the east bank of the river near the University Bridge all the way to the Sid Buckwold Bridge. There are some parts of the area that don’t have the same soil conditions and won’t be considered for these regulations.

City council will debate the issue on November 18.