What is a site plan? (garage addition)

Summary

In this video from Garage How-To, Pat outlines the essential components of creating a site plan for building a garage. A site plan serves as a detailed drawing showing existing and proposed structures on your property, ensuring compliance with local building codes. Key elements include property lines, existing structures, setbacks, and utility locations. Pat emphasizes the importance of scale and labeling dimensions, and he provides practical tips for drawing the plan using graph paper. This guide is a vital first step in any construction project, setting the stage for successful site preparation.

Takeaways

• 🏠 A site plan is a drawing of proposed improvements to your property, showing existing structures and planned constructions.
• 📍 Important elements of a site plan include your name, address, legal description, and a scale drawing.
• 🧭 The site plan must indicate the direction of north and clearly show property lines.
• 🚗 Include the location of driveways, adjacent streets, existing structures, and proposed buildings in the plan.
• 💧 It's essential to show the locations of wells and septic tanks, including their distances from proposed structures.
• 🌊 If applicable, indicate the location of waterways like streams and ponds on your property.
• 📏 Proposed setbacks from property lines must be detailed; setbacks are the distances from property lines to buildings.
• 📝 Creating a site plan can often be done simply with graph paper, a pencil, and a ruler; it doesn't need to be complex.
• 🌳 Large trees should be represented on the site plan if they are over two feet in diameter, showing their species and diameter.
• ✅ A well-prepared site plan helps ensure compliance with local building and zoning codes, reducing the risk of legal issues.

Q & A

What is a site plan?

A site plan is a drawing that shows proposed improvements to a property, including existing structures and the relationship between them and any new constructions.

What information is typically required on a site plan?

Typically, a site plan should include your name and address, legal property description, scale drawing, north direction, property lines, locations of driveways, existing and proposed structures, well locations, septic systems, ground slope, setbacks, waterways, and relative elevations.

Why is it important to include existing structures on a site plan?

Including existing structures helps to illustrate how the proposed construction will fit into the current landscape and ensures compliance with local building and zoning codes.

What does 'to scale' mean in the context of a site plan?

'To scale' means that the drawing is proportionate to real-life dimensions, allowing for accurate representation of distances and sizes on the plan.

What are setbacks in a site plan?

Setbacks refer to the required distances from property lines to proposed structures, ensuring that buildings are adequately spaced from the edges of the property.

How can someone create a site plan without expensive software?

A site plan can be created using graph paper, a pencil, and a ruler, which allows for easy scaling and drawing of structures based on existing property features.

What additional information might local building authorities require on a site plan?

Additional information may include landscape features, sidewalks, utility services, and any other specific requirements unique to the local building codes.

What is the purpose of having a site plan approved?

Getting a site plan approved ensures compliance with local regulations, helps avoid potential legal issues, and provides coverage for future insurance claims related to the property.

What should be done if existing large trees are present on the property?

If there are large trees (generally over two feet in diameter), they should be included in the site plan, noting their species and diameter.

What is the benefit of referencing a site plan during construction?

Referencing a site plan during construction helps clarify the layout and dimensions, reducing guesswork and ensuring the project adheres to approved plans.