Building Permit Proposed Plot Plan
An experienced Building Inspector will require a Building Permit Site Plan or Plot Plan for any addition or new building. For large commercial, industrial, or municipal sites see our Sustainable Site Plan Design service. For single family and small multifamily projects, many of the requirements such as storm water management, lighting design, traffic design and other costly engineering services may not be required. For this reason we will refer to these plans as Plot Plans to avoid confusion. An accurate Plot Plan stamped by a Licensed Land Surveyor will show the location of your existing structures, any proposed structures, and the zoning requirements for permitting. Your Bank Mortgage Inspection Plot Plan will not suffice because it was most likely prepared with a tape measure, and the dimensions shown are approximate only.
If your addition is close to a lot line or close to a zoning violation, having an accurate plot plan can protect your investment. If your home addition ends up being built too close to a lot line, or if your new building violates any of the zoning regulations such as the limits on open space, impervious area, or floor area ratio ,the Building Inspector must insist that you either obtain a Zoning Variance from the Zoning Board of Appeals, or tear the new structure down. Also, it makes sense, to have a certified plot plan drawn up before you hire an architect in order to determine the amount of room you have for an addition or new construction. Only a Land Surveyor can certify the location of property lines.
At Land Planning, Incorporated we can also perform septic system inspections, wetland flagging, sewer pump designs, and other services that go hand in hand with even small addition plot plans. If we encounter wetlands in the field, for example, we will notify you and advise you on how to go about getting your wetlands permit. Sneaking in an addition near a wetland without obtaing thebcorect permits can be very expensive as you could end up with your project shut down and and you could be fined and forced to take corrective actions.
The proper procedure for an accurate Plot Plan is as follows: We first print, read, and plot in our computer, your deed and plan, and all of your abutters deeds and plans. We then send our survey crew to your site and they search your lot and all your abutters lots for the ‘monuments of record’ and other field evidence, We then survey the precise location of every marker found, and of every structure on your lot. In some municipalities we also need to survey all impervious ground cover as well, such as driveways and sidewalks. We also need to locate underground services and utilities if they play a role in the development. See our Property Line Survey service for more information on how we as Professional Land Surveyors go about certifying your property lines.
Once the existing conditions of the site are surveyed and the property lines are certified we can draft the plot plan. We review the Town’s regulations to ensure any proposed structures are setback the appropriate distances from property lines, septic systems, wells, wetlands and other factors.
If zoning in your Town has overlay areas such as aquifer protection areas or provisions for building coverage, floor area ratio, open space and other requirements we will calculate them and also place that information on your Plot Plan. The completed drawing is then stamped by our Licensed Professional Land Surveyor. To protect your investment we suggest you use a Certified Professional Land Surveyor. Only a licensed Land Surveyor can certify the location of your property lines. If you are interested in hiring Land Planning, Incorporated for a building permit site plan (plot plot) we can provide you with a free estimate. Please contact us at one of our convenient locations.
