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PLAN REVIEW Sketch It Out First A site plan is a simple drawing on which property owners show where and how they plan to build. Most property owners can complete the site plan themselves. Local officials will require certified site plans from qualified engineers for commercial or large-scale projects. The site plan requirement in the overlay reminds property owners to work shoreline protection measures into their site plans. It allows zoning officials to review the landowner’s proposal and provide early, helpful information on key considerations, such as soil erosion control and the required building setback distance. The site plan review step also puts your coastal community’s zoning administrator at the end of the permitting line as a last check on development proposals. This gatekeeper role is necessary for accomplishing the extra oversight you want. It is also an opportunity to work with other officials, such as the county sanitarian, soil erosion control officer, drain commissioner, and building inspector to share information and streamline the process for property owners. Construction can begin once the local zoning administrator and the property owner agree on the site plan and the property owner has obtained all other applicable permits. The approved site plan then becomes the coastal community’s enforcement tool. The property owner must build according to the agreed site plan. Checklist: Residential property owners already prepare site plans for other local officials, such as the county erosion control officer and sanitarian, to review. They submit the same site plans, with added shoreline protection details, to local zoning officials for final permit approval under the shoreline overlay. The usual list of site plan items includes water wells, septic tanks, drain fields, and soil erosion and sedimentation control measures. To protect valuable views and fragile resources, shor eline site plans also should show: • All natural resources on or near the property, such as bluffs, wetlands, sand dunes, mature tree lines, native grass boundaries, and the ordinary high water mark. • Placement of proposed structures. • Areas where the property owner plans to clear vegetation. • Details of plans for controlling foot traffic to the lakefront, such as paths, stairways, or boardwalks. • A grading plan for those areas the owner plans to cut and fill. If the grading area is larger than 5,000 square feet, zoning officials should also require a map of the site’s existing contours and what the contours would be like after grading. • Existing structures on the property, as well as on neighboring parcels. This information helps zoning officials protect lakefront views. •Stormwater runoff controls for roads, driveways, parking areas, and structures. •Outdoor lighting. |
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