Check the parcel before the possibility.
Keep the records, proposed uses and unanswered questions separate when reviewing a site or preparing land for sale.
Ten checks for a more useful property discussion.
This original planning worksheet helps organize questions. It does not establish permitted use, servicing, site suitability or financing eligibility. Requirements depend on the parcel, municipality and intended project.
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Parcel, title & boundaries
Record the legal parcel and municipality. Ask your lawyer which title, registered-interest, survey and boundary records are needed. A street address or map pin does not establish a boundary.
Existing facts & intended use
Describe the existing use separately from your proposed project. Identify what is documented, what is only advertised and what remains unknown.
Zoning & planning constraints
Request current parcel-specific zoning, applicable plans and municipal advice for the intended use. A nearby approval does not establish permission on this parcel.
Applications & approval status
Record application references, dates, conditions and outstanding decisions. Keep a proposed concept, an application and an issued approval separate.
Legal access & road arrangements
Request records for access, rights of way and any shared road arrangements. Ask the appropriate adviser to confirm rights, responsibilities and unresolved restrictions.
Water supply & available records
Identify the reported supply and request relevant connection, well, quantity or quality records for professional review. Do not assume a rural parcel has municipal water or that a prior test describes current conditions.
Wastewater arrangements
Identify the reported system and request available plans, permits, service records and inspection information. Ask the municipality and appropriate specialist which records apply.
Utilities & connection questions
Separate services reported at the lot line from services connected to the intended building location. Request current provider information and site-specific quotations rather than assuming a connection cost.
Ground, drainage & environmental questions
Gather available site assessments and identify unanswered questions for qualified specialists. Record the scope and date of each report; a document status does not establish site suitability.
Costs, timing & unresolved conditions
Keep documented costs, preliminary estimates and unknowns separate. Ask your advisers which approvals, investigations, financing conditions and schedule dependencies should be resolved before a commitment.