What is a site plan?

A site plan (also known as a plot plan) is a diagram or process to show the proposed improvements on an existing property. A site plan is important, as it provides information regarding the landscape features of a given plot of land.  Zoning is done or can be understood with the help of a site plan.

The most important feature of a site plan is to show the relationship between what already exists in the property and what is planned to build on that property. Site plans are drawn uniquely, where they cannot be designed equally. This is because every individual authority requires a checklist of different things to be added to their property.

There are some basic elements or requirements that permit a site plan. They are property line, easement, and so on. They are known as site plan requirements.

Site plan requirements

At the time of the site plan review, site plan helps the reviewers to understand the design of a building. If more information is included on the site plan, then it gets easy for the one doing the site plan review. It also helps in determination of the measurement of residential property. Here are some of the important terms or items that a good site plan should include:

Property lines

The exterior boundaries around the lot are known as property lines. A development site plan must include property lines so that one cannot encroach on an owner’s adjacent property. In a way, property lines set the stage for a design.

Setbacks

The space left between the property lines and the exterior walls of building is known as Setback distance. Setbacks are provided at the front, back and sides of a building, where the value of setbacks may vary from one area to another. They are provided to protect things; for instance, a setback provided between a building and a road ensures that the sightline is not disturbed to make sure that no accident occurs.

Easement

It may be defined as the feature of a property that is used by someone else for a particular application. They are needed every time whenever there is a need to design an element that exists in an adjacent property. For instance, if someone is planning a pipe run, and it is crossing the corners of another property then to maintain the legal rights to cross that corner, they need an easement. Easement can be represented graphically or with the help of text.

 Construction limits and lay down areas

Construction Limits represent the part of the property, where the construction is going on and the part of areas near that site, where the construction equipment and the construction supplies are stored. Moreover, zoning can be done easily with its help.

Existing and proposed conditions  

It is important to present both the existing and proposed conditions so that city officials and the person doing site plan review can understand the full scope of a design and permit fence lines and all utility lines.

Parking

Parking is one of the biggest issues that occur in addition to planning a site, especially in a dense city environments or commercial areas. Additionally, it is important to ensure to include parking diagrams with a number of parking spaces available along with their dimensions, the flow of traffic, and so on.

Surrounding streets and street signs 

Understanding how the traffic flows through and around a site is very important to know. Consequently, showing the surrounding streets irrespective of their types can help to illustrate the impact of traffic around the site. This also helps to provide a context of the building.

Driveways

There exist many code requirements governing the design access on a site. They are laid out from the driveway width to the curb cut dimensions. Make sure to include all the standard dimensions in a site plan that building permits after knowing and following the rules

Fire hydrants

These are not only important for the occupants staying, but also important for the emergency personnel. Depending upon the type of construction, there exist codes governing the distance that is needed between the building and the fire hydrants. If there is a new construction project, then the fire hydrant information included in a site plan, later which is submitted to the city is always needed. However, this would not be a compulsory thing, if someone just aims for the renovation of an existing project.

Landscaped area

Often people think, landscaping is just done for the sake of aesthetics or development of the area, but in actual, it is done for the conservation of the ecosystem or it is rather done to help preserve the ecosystem’s surroundings. Existing and proposed landscaping that includes erosion and runoff controls should be mentioned in the site checklist plan.

Context and Applications

A site plan is also applicable because it represents details of the surrounding area and how land is used in addition to the building permits. It is studied under various courses such as

• Bachelors of Technology (Civil Engineering)
• Masters of Technology (Civil Engineering)

Practice Problems

Q.1.  Site plan helps

1. Applicant to get the approval of a project for development
2. Site plan reviewers to understand the design of the structure
3. Both a & b
4. To scale the elevation

Answer: The Correct option is 3, as the applicant needs the site plan for the approval of the construction project for development, and the site plan reviewers also get help with the site plan for understanding the building design.

Q.2.  ___________ are also known as out around the exterior of lot.

1. Setbacks
2. Parking lines
3. Property lines
4. Driveways

Answer: The correct option is 3. Property lines are also known as out around the exterior of lot.

Q.3. Landscaping is done for the conservation of

1. Ecosystem
2. Mass
3. Property
4. Zoning

Answer: The correct option is 1 because Landscaping needs to be done for the conversation of ecosystem 

Q.4. Space left between the property lines and the exterior walls of the structure of building are known as _________

1. Setback
2. Driveway
3. Elevation
4. Easement

Answer: The correct option is 1. Setback is the space left between the property lines and the exterior walls of a building.

Q.5. The feature of a property that is used by someone else for a particular application is known as

1. Easement
2. Public Property
3. Driveways
4. Landscaped area

Answer: The correct option is 1. The feature of a property that is used by someone else for a particular application of planning is known as Easement.

Common mistakes

The students might get confused in compliance with the names of the different types of plans such as, site plan, floor plan, structure plan, layout plans, and many more. A floor plan is the overview of a floor, where it shares information regarding the scale and interior walls of the building; the circulation area available, sizes of each element present on the floor such as, the living room, bedroom kitchen, and dining room. Structural plan drawing shows the information regarding the foundation, floor, and roof plan of the building. This type of plan shows the information as the size and location of the structure elements present in any given plans. A layout plan is a plan that includes site plan, gardens, parks, community drainage runoff, and so on. This type of plan is generally used in commercial types of buildings.

Related concepts

• Site plan review
• Site Plan Analysis
• Zoning