What is the first step if I want to sub-divide by land?
All sub-divisions must be completed by a registered land surveyor. The first step in the sub-division process is hiring a surveyor - there are many companies who do this kind of work. You can click here for a listing of some land surveyors in Saskatchewan. You may also want to check with the R.M. office to ensure that your subdivison will be compliant with the R.M.'s Zoning bylaw to save changes needing to be made further into the process.
What happens next?
After the preliminary survey is completed the surveyor will help complete the application to sub-divide to community planning. All sub-divisions in the province must be reviewed and approved by the Provincial Governments Community Planning department. The R.M. will receive a letter in regards to the subdivision as part of this step and will be asked to provide any feedback or concerns they may have. During this step community planning will also ensure that the subdivision will meet the requirements in the R.M.'s zoning bylaw.
What are the basic requirements for subdivisions specific to the R.M.?
In the Agricultural Resource District (majority of the R.M.) the R.M.'s Zoning Bylaw allows for a total of three subdivisions per quarter section. The minimun size allowed for a subdivision is 5 acres and the maximum size is 40 acres. However, the maximum site area of a non-farm residential parcel may be increased where the additional land is needed to accommodate an onsite sewage disposal or water supply system or to include existing vegetation, shelterbelts, or accessory buildings.
Will sub-dividing increase my taxes?
The most common type of subdivision in the R.M. is subdividing a yard site out of a home quarter. The subdivision itself won't change your taxes if nothing else changes. However, if you previously owned enough land to exempt your home and you sell this land (and just keep the subdivided yard site) then your taxes will increase as now you do not have enough land value to exempt your home so it will now be taxable.