Pre-Application

Review everything that happens during the Pre-Application phase of the land development process.

Pre-application is the first part of the City of Surrey Land Development Process.

Developers and the City of Surrey both have key tasks in the pre-application phase. Key tasks include bylaw and policy review, development team setup, the pre-application meeting and often the pre-engineering review.

Review the submission requirements for each application type to ensure your application meets the minimum requirements. 

Application procedure overviews

Find details specific to your application in these application procedure overviews for the most common types of applications:

Development Fees are outlined in the Land Development Application Fee Schedule.

Review land development bylaws, policies and guidelines

Your development proposal must comply with all of the City of Surrey’s land use bylaws, policies and guidelines and work within City zoning.

You will likely get approvals more quickly if your development application complies with all of these City regulations.

Read the relevant City of Surrey Land Use Bylaws and Land Use Plans & Strategies.

Your specific type of development may have additional considerations:

Set up your development team

Developers must determine the professionals that may be required as part of a Surrey land development project team. You’ll also determine which services are required at which stage of the process, and the costs associated with each member of the project team. Members of the project team typically include:

  • Planning Consultant
  • Professional Engineer (e.g. civil, transportation, geotechnical, etc.)
  • Architect or Building Designer
  • Project Manager
  • Lawyer
  • Surveyor
  • Arborist and/or Landscape Architect
  • Environmental consultant (e.g. Qualified Environmental Professional, Registered Professional Biologist, etc.)
  • Heritage Consultant Certified Professional (building permit drawings)
  • Construction Manager

Book a pre-application meeting

Pre-application meetings help identify key issues early on in the development process. We will explain the Surrey land development process specific to your project during the pre-application meeting. We’ll also give early feedback on your application during and after the meeting.

When you book your meeting, you need to provide your:

  • Subject site address(es)
  • Description of the development proposal
  • Preliminary site plan and/or subdivision plan

Call 604-591-4448 for more information on how to book your pre-application meeting with the appropriate Development Planning Division.

Request & receive pre-engineering review (optional)

You can choose to request a summary of the Preliminary Engineering Information for your project before you submit your Development Application. A pre-engineering review will show you what the engineering servicing requirements could be before you make a development application.

If you submit your Land Development Application for the same site within 18 months of when the Pre-Engineering Information's completed, your pre-engineering review fee will be credited towards your engineering processing fee.

To submit a request, email your completed Application for Preliminary Engineering Information or drop it off at Surrey City Hall's 2nd floor counter with your application fee.

Note the pre-engineering review fee in Schedule B of Surrey Subdivision & Development Bylaw No. 8830.

See the next phase of the Land Development Process: Submitting Your Land Development Application.