Hard-Surfacing and Landscaping
The City of Whitehorse requires that most new developments provide hard-surfaced parking and landscaping as a condition of Development Permit approval. Complete regulations for hard-surfacing and landscaping requirements can be found in the Zoning Bylaw. Specific requirements for each development are described in the approved Development Permit.
Below are highlights of key requirements and minimum standards for hard-surfacing and landscaping.
Completed the hard-surfacing or landscaping and want to get your security back? Submit an inspection request online.
Hard-surfacing: All developments in comprehensive zones (including Whistle Bend, Takhini North, and Ingram) are required to install a hard-surfaced driveway. Where there is lane access to the property, vehicle access is only permitted from the lane.
All developments in the RR – Restricted Residential zone (select areas in Copper Ridge, Logan, Porter Creek and Whistle Bend) are required to install a hard-surfaced driveway.
Landscaping: Single detached, duplex, and townhouse developments in comprehensive zones (excluding multiple housing) have a standard requirement of one tree or three shrubs per lot, plus a suitable ground cover in the entire front yard. See below for details on minimum landscaping standards. An internal sidewalk from the front of the house to the City sidewalk or street is also required.
All developments in the RR zone are required to install landscaped ground cover in the entire front yard plus the number of trees or shrubs stated in the Development Permit.
For additional details on hard-surfacing and landscaping requirements in comprehensive zones, please review our handout.
Hard-surfacing and landscaping must be installed in accordance with the approved plans. Plans are reviewed at time of Development Permit application for compliance with the minimum regulations of the Zoning Bylaw.
Minimum Standards for All Developments
Please refer to the Zoning Bylaw for complete details on hard-surfacing and landscaping standards.
Hard-surfacing, where required, means the provision of a durable, dust-free surface constructed of concrete, asphalt or similar material. Hard-surfaced driveways and parking spaces are required in most zones, if the adjacent street or lane is hard-surfaced.
Minimum size of plantings
Deciduous trees: 60 mm/2 ½ inches caliper (diameter of trunk measured at 15 cm/6 inches above the ground).
Coniferous trees: 1.75 m (5’ 9”) in height measured from ground level.
Shrubs: #2 pot size (2 gallon) or 1.0 m in height, balled-and-burlapped, measured from ground level.
Acceptable landscape planting species are described in the City’s Recommended Tree Species for Whitehorse.
Suitable ground cover
Suitable ground cover may include grass, bark-mulch, flower beds, or washed/decorative gravel. A weed barrier fabric should be used where grass is not installed. The ground cover must include an organic component (e.g. it cannot be exclusively washed gravel).
In comprehensive and restricted zones, the entire front yard must be treated with a suitable groundcover. In other zones, the groundcover must be installed in landscaped areas as identified on the approved plans.
Applications for hard-surfacing security deposits must be made within one year of the City issuing first occupancy through the relevant building permit,
Applications for landscaping security deposits must be made within two years of first occupancy, and applications for record drawing security must be made within 60 days of first occupancy unless a longer time frame has been stipulated in writing on the approved development permit.
Security deposits for which an application is made after the timeframe stipulated is forfeited by the developer in accordance with Section 4.19.4 of the Zoning Bylaw.