Planning, Engineering and Regulatory Services

Engineering

The Engineering division provides professional and technical engineering services related to construction, transportation planning, traffic operations and surveying. It is responsible for long term planning of City infrastructure requirements and provides technical advice to Council, its committees and departments.

The Construction and Facilities Engineering divisions are responsible for the conditional evaluation of existing infrastructure and the ranking and recommendations for future capital works programs/projects. They oversee the design, construction management and inspection of capital projects ranging from street paving, bridges and water and sewer projects to City-owned buildings such as recreational facilities, the convention centre and treatment plants. The Construction division also operates the soils and asphalt laboratory which is required for quality control during construction.

The Transportation division ensures a safe, usable and efficient transportation network through long-range transportation planning, development review, traffic calming initiatives, traffic control signal systems; streetlight management, focused transportation studies and public parking initiatives.

The Surveying division maintains the survey control monument network; prepares legal plans and descriptions for property acquisitions and rights-of-way; gathers infrastructure data; determines civic numbering for new streets; and provides surveying support to the other divisions throughout the organization.

Planning and Development

The Planning division develops short and long range land use plans for the sustainable growth of the City through planning principles which benefit the community, protect the integrity of neighbourhoods, provide a wide variety of amenities to support a broad demographic spectrum and promote commercial and industrial development which fosters economic growth. The division is also responsible for the protection of the City's built heritage through the promotion of heritage values, by-laws and policies.

The Development division provides the technical engineering review of land use plans, ensures that private development is designed and constructed in a sustainable manner meeting design standards; ensures that existing infrastructure has the capacity to accept new development; and ensures there are no conflicts between proposed systems and existing infrastructure. The division also develops hydrological models of the systems and maintains the related rain gauges and flow meters.

The Planning and Development divisions work closely in the administration of the St. John's Municipal Plan, as well as in the interpretation and enforcement of the St. John's Development Regulations that flow from the Plan. Staff provide advice and planning and development support to committees of Council, other City staff, and the general public.

Regulatory Services

The Regulatory Services division is responsible for inspection services, by-law enforcement and parking enforcement.

Inspection Services perform a technical review of all components of construction/ renovation/ occupancy changes for new and existing commercial and residential buildings. This ensures that buildings are constructed and maintained to meet applicable standards including the National Building Code, Electrical Code, Plumbing Code and Fire and Life Safety Code. The division is also responsible for ensuring the safe use of properties and the sustainability of the built environment through the enforcement of maintenance standards and by-laws.

The Parking Services division is responsible for maintaining the City's parking systems and for monitoring and enforcing parking regulations throughout the City to ensure parking systems work effectively and efficiently. Noncompliance with standards, regulations and by-laws may result in tickets, fines and legal action.