What Is a Residential Site Plan?

A residential site plan is a scaled, top-down drawing of the property. It shows where buildings, paved areas and exterior improvements are positioned in relation to the legal property boundaries.

A floor plan explains what is happening inside the house. A site plan explains how the house and proposed project fit on the land.

The drawing can help Charleston reviewers understand:

• The overall shape and dimensions of the property
• The location of the existing residence
• The size and position of the proposed construction
• The distances between construction and property lines
• The relationship between existing and proposed structures
• Vehicle and pedestrian access
• Parking, paving and outdoor areas
• Possible conflicts involving easements, trees, utilities or flood zones

For a broader explanation, read

Everything You Need to Know About a Site Plan
.

Charleston Projects That May Need a Site Plan

A site plan is commonly required when residential work changes the building footprint, access, exterior layout or use of the property.

The required documents depend on the scope of work. Interior repairs may follow a simpler process, while new construction or a substantial addition can require coordinated site, architectural, structural, energy and trade documents.

Charleston’s Basic Site Plan Requirements

The City of Charleston publishes a guide explaining what should be included on a site plan submitted for review.

The city asks applicants to use a recognized architectural or engineering scale and identify the scale on the drawing.

The plan should show:

• Property lines and their dimensions
• All existing buildings and structures
• All proposed additions and structures
• Steps, decks and porches
• Fences and bay windows
• HVAC platforms
• Parking areas
• Driveways
• Walkways and patios
• Grand trees
• Drainage and utility easements
• Required landscape buffers
• Flood-zone information and flood-zone lines where applicable
• Tax Map number
• Property address and owner
• Neighborhood name
• North arrow
• Drawing date

Charleston recommends showing existing structures with solid lines and proposed additions with dashed lines so the scope of work is easy to understand.

Official source:

City of Charleston — How to Create a Site Plan
.

What Should the Permit Drawing Show?

The precise information depends on the project, but a useful Charleston residential site plan commonly includes the following elements.

New Single-Family Construction

Charleston’s current permitting guidance for a new single-family home requires a scaled site plan.

The site plan must be signed and sealed by a South Carolina licensed land surveyor or design professional. The complete building plans must also be signed and sealed by a South Carolina licensed design professional.

The permit package may also include:

An engineering permit may also be required if the work extends into a city-owned public right-of-way.

Official source:

City of Charleston — Single-Family New Construction Guidance
.

Residential Additions

Charleston’s guidance for single-family additions requires a site plan showing the location of the proposed addition with measurements.

The application package also calls for architectural and structural construction documents signed and sealed by a licensed South Carolina design professional.

Examples of additions include:

• A new bedroom or family room
• A kitchen extension
• An attached garage
• A rear addition
• An enclosed porch
• A second-story addition
• A mudroom or utility-room extension

The site plan should clearly show:

• The existing house footprint
• The exact proposed addition footprint
• The addition’s length and width
• Distances to the applicable property lines
• Existing porches, stairs, decks and HVAC platforms
• Driveways and parking areas
• Grand trees close to the work
• Known easements and flood-zone information

Official source:

City of Charleston — Single-Family Addition Guidance
.

Garages, Sheds and Accessory Structures

Charleston identifies sheds, garden sheds, detached garages, accessory dwelling units and pool houses as residential accessory structures.

The city’s current guidance requires a site plan showing the building location and relevant distances.

The permit package may also require:

• Residential alterations and additions application
• Architectural and structural construction documents
• Manufacturer installation specifications for certain predesigned sheds and garages
• Erosion Protection and Sediment Control Certification
• Electrical, gas, mechanical or plumbing permits when those systems are included
• Board of Architectural Review approval in a designated district

The site plan should make it easy to determine:

• Where the accessory structure will sit
• How far it will be from each relevant lot line
• How far it will be from the house
• Whether a driveway or path reaches the building
• Whether the project conflicts with an easement
• Whether grand trees or flood requirements affect the proposed location

Official source:

City of Charleston — Accessory Structure Guidance
.

Swimming Pools and Spas

A Charleston pool or spa site plan requires more detail than simply drawing the water area in the backyard.

Current city guidance asks the site plan to include:

• Pool or spa dimensions
• Pool and spa equipment locations
• Distances from the pool, spa and equipment to the lot lines
• Required barrier locations
• Gate locations
• Grand trees measuring 24 inches DBH or larger
• Additional flood-zone information where applicable

If the pool, equipment or associated project elements are elevated rather than at grade, they may need to satisfy the applicable zoning setbacks.

Charleston also requires structural pool plans and details signed and sealed by a licensed South Carolina structural engineer.

Official source:

City of Charleston — Residential Pool and Spa Guidance
.

Why Setback Measurements Matter

A setback is the distance between a building or structure and a property boundary.

Setback dimensions allow zoning reviewers to determine whether the proposed project is positioned correctly on the lot.

The applicable requirements can depend on:

• The property’s zoning district
• The type of residential structure
• Whether the project is attached or detached
• The parcel’s width, depth and shape
• Whether the property has more than one street frontage
• The existing building location
• Lot coverage or open-space requirements
• Recorded easements
• A previously approved variance or special exception
• Historic-district or neighborhood-specific controls

Use Charleston’s interactive zoning map to identify the zoning information associated with an address, and confirm the applicable dimensional requirements before finalizing the design.

Official resource:

City of Charleston Interactive Zoning Map
.

Do Not Guess the Legal Boundary

An existing fence, hedge, driveway edge, retaining wall or online aerial image does not necessarily identify the legal property line.

Boundary information may come from:

• A South Carolina licensed boundary survey
• A recorded subdivision plat
• A deed description
• A previous approved site plan
• Reliable closing documents
• Property records supplied by the owner

A licensed land surveyor may be needed when:

• The project will be close to a property line
• Property corners cannot be located
• The parcel is narrow or irregular
• An existing fence appears out of alignment
• A neighbor disputes the boundary
• Supplied records conflict
• The city requires a signed and sealed site plan

Charleston’s site-plan guide specifically states that its drawing instructions do not allow a general site plan to replace a survey where a licensed surveyor-prepared document is required.

Grand Trees and Tree Information

Trees are a particularly important part of residential permitting in Charleston.

The city’s site-plan guide defines a Grand Tree as a tree measuring 24 inches or more in diameter at approximately 4½ feet above grade.

For each applicable Grand Tree, the plan should identify:

• The precise center location
• The tree species
• The trunk diameter
• The relationship between the tree and proposed construction
• The surrounding tree-protection area where required

Tree information can affect the location of:

• New houses and additions
• Garages and sheds
• Pools and pool decks
• Driveways
• Walkways and patios
• Retaining walls
• Utility lines

Do not use a decorative tree symbol without confirming that the location and dimensions accurately represent the conditions supplied for the project.

Flood-Zone Information

Floodplain review is an important consideration for many Charleston properties.

The city’s site-plan guide asks applicants to include flood-zone information and flood-zone lines when applicable.

Charleston states that all new or substantially improved buildings within the Special Flood Hazard Area must satisfy current flood-design requirements and obtain applicable Elevation Certificates and construction certifications.

Depending on the property and project, supporting information may include:

• Applicable FEMA flood zone
• Flood-zone boundaries
• Base Flood Elevation
• Design Flood Elevation
• Existing ground elevations
• Proposed finished-floor elevation
• Elevation Certificate
• V-Zone design certificate
• Breakaway-wall design certificate
• Elevated mechanical or pool-equipment information

Official resource:

City of Charleston Floodplain Development
.

Easements, Buffers and Public Right-of-Way

Charleston asks site plans to identify drainage, utility and other easements, as well as required landscape buffers.

Easements can restrict where permanent structures, slabs, pools, fences and other improvements may be placed.

Common restrictions can involve:

• Drainage easements
• Utility easements
• Access easements
• Private driveway easements
• Sewer or water easements
• Waterway or critical-line buffers
• Public street and sidewalk areas

Work in a city-owned street, sidewalk or right-of-way may require an engineering permit. Placing private improvements within a city easement or right-of-way may also require an encroachment agreement.

Charleston explains that work on private property, including work within an easement, also requires zoning approval.

Official resource:

City of Charleston Encroachments
.

Driveways, Parking and Walkways

The site plan should show driveways, parking areas, walkways and patios in their precise locations in relation to the property lines.

Include relevant:

• Street name
• Existing driveway
• Proposed driveway or driveway expansion
• Driveway width
• Garage or carport entrance
• Parking spaces
• Sidewalk and planting strip
• Walkways and patios
• Gates
• Drainage structures
• Public right-of-way limits where known

Use dashed lines or clear notes to distinguish proposed paving from existing paved areas.

A separate right-of-way or engineering approval may be needed when work affects the sidewalk, driveway apron, curb, drainage system or city-owned land.

Erosion and Sediment Control

Charleston requires an Erosion Protection and Sediment Control Certification for projects involving proposed ground disturbance.

This can apply when a project involves:

• Excavation for foundations or footings
• New driveways or paving
• Pool construction
• Grading or fill
• Retaining walls
• Utility trenches
• Tree removal or clearing
• Other disturbance of exposed soil

The site plan may help communicate the area of work, but professionally prepared grading, stormwater or erosion-control drawings may be required for more complex projects.

Official resource:

City of Charleston Applications and Guidelines
.

Historic District and BAR Review

Many Charleston properties are located within historic districts or areas reviewed by the Board of Architectural Review.

For new construction and other applicable exterior work in a designated district, BAR review may be required as part of the permitting process.

Projects that may receive additional review include:

• New houses
• Home additions
• Porches and decks
• Garages and accessory structures
• Pools and visible site improvements
• Demolition
• Exterior alterations
• Changes visible from a public street

The site plan can help explain:

• The position of the project relative to the existing house
• Visibility from streets and public spaces
• Historic accessory buildings
• Driveways and parking
• Grand trees and landscaping
• Property boundaries
• Existing and proposed building footprints

Official resource:

Charleston Board of Architectural Review
.

Submitting the Permit Application

Charleston uses its Customer Self Service portal for many permit applications and inspection requests.

Applicants should select the correct permit type and review the current project-specific application and guideline before submitting.

For easier electronic review:

• Use clear file names
• Keep the property address consistent on every document
• Provide drawings at a readable sheet size
• Use a recognized drawing scale
• Make dimensions large enough to read
• Clearly identify existing and proposed work
• Coordinate the site plan with architectural and structural drawings
• Add the current drawing date or revision date
• Upload complete revised sheets when responding to comments

Official resource:

City of Charleston Permit Applications
.

What to Provide When Ordering Your Site Plan

Reliable property and project information helps produce a clearer plan and reduces avoidable revisions.

Provide as much of the following as possible:

• Complete Charleston property address
• Tax Map or TMS number
• Current property survey
• Recorded subdivision plat
• Previous approved site plan
• Existing house plans
• Project description
• Proposed structure dimensions
• Desired project location
• Distances to property boundaries
• Photographs of the project area
• Hand-drawn sketch or marked image
• Builder or manufacturer drawings
• Driveway and parking information
• Known easements
• Grand-tree information
• Flood-zone information
• Utility information
• Retaining-wall or grading details
• Comments received from Charleston staff

You can also review our

step-by-step guide to creating a site plan

to understand the information used to prepare a residential drawing.

A Practical Charleston Permit Process

Common Charleston Site Plan Mistakes

• Showing only the project area instead of the complete property
• Leaving out one or more property boundaries
• Failing to identify the drawing scale
• Omitting front, side or rear setback measurements
• Using a fence as the assumed legal boundary
• Leaving out decks, steps, porches or HVAC platforms
• Failing to show driveways, parking, walkways or patios
• Leaving out Grand Trees or providing no tree dimensions
• Ignoring drainage, utility or access easements
• Leaving out flood-zone information
• Failing to distinguish existing and proposed work
• Using dimensions that conflict with the construction plans
• Overlooking historic-district review
• Submitting an unsigned plan when Charleston requires a professional seal
• Failing to provide erosion-control certification for ground disturbance
• Ignoring public right-of-way or encroachment approvals
• Submitting an outdated drawing revision
• Starting work before the required permits are issued

Charleston Residential Site Plan Checklist

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every Charleston residential project need a site plan?

No. The documents depend on the scope of work. Projects that create or enlarge a building footprint, add an accessory structure, install a pool, modify access or affect property setbacks are more likely to require one.

Does a new Charleston house need a signed and sealed site plan?

Charleston’s current new single-family construction guidance states that the scaled site plan must be signed and sealed by a South Carolina licensed land surveyor or design professional.

Does an addition require a site plan?

Charleston’s current addition guidance requires a site plan showing the location of the proposed addition with measurements.

Can an unsigned site plan confirm my property boundary?

No. An unsigned plan can show property lines based on supplied records, but it does not establish or certify the legal boundary. A South Carolina licensed land surveyor may be required.

Do I need to show trees?

Charleston’s site-plan guidance asks applicants to identify Grand Trees, including their location, diameter and species. Pool guidance also specifically requires Grand Trees measuring 24 inches DBH or larger to be shown.

What if my property is in a flood zone?

Additional elevation information, flood-design documentation and professional certifications may be required. New or substantially improved buildings in the Special Flood Hazard Area must comply with Charleston’s current flood-design requirements.

Does a site plan include structural engineering?

No. A site plan shows where the project sits on the property. Foundations, framing, beams, footings, connections and structural calculations are separate documents.

Can USA Site Plans prepare an unsigned drawing?

Yes. USA Site Plans can prepare an unsigned residential site-plan drawing using supplied property records and project information. It is not a substitute for a licensed surveyor, architect or engineer when Charleston requires a signed and sealed document.

How quickly can USA Site Plans prepare the drawing?

USA Site Plans offers a standard 24-hour turnaround for typical unsigned residential drafting orders when sufficient property records, dimensions and project information are supplied.

Related USA Site Plan Guides

Final Thoughts

A clear Charleston residential site plan should make the complete property and proposed project easy to understand.

The drawing should show property boundaries, existing buildings, proposed construction, setback measurements, access, parking and other relevant site conditions.

Charleston projects may also require information involving Grand Trees, easements, buffers, flood zones, historic review, erosion control or public right-of-way work.

The required professional credentials depend on the project. New single-family construction generally requires a signed and sealed site plan, while additions and accessory structures require clear location and measurement information.

Ready to begin with an unsigned drafted plan?

Order your Charleston residential site plan
.

Official Charleston Resources

• 
  City of Charleston — How to Create a Site Plan
  
• 
  Single-Family New Construction Guidance
  
• 
  Single-Family Addition Guidance
  
• 
  Accessory Structure Guidance
  
• 
  Residential Pool and Spa Guidance
  
• 
  Applications and Guidelines
  
• 
  Floodplain Development
  
• 
  Board of Architectural Review
  
• 
  Interactive Zoning Map
  
• 
  Encroachments and Right-of-Way Information
  

Disclaimer: This article provides general educational information and does not constitute legal, zoning, surveying, architectural, engineering, structural, floodplain, drainage, stormwater, historic-preservation, building-code or permit-approval advice. Requirements depend on the property, zoning district, flood zone, historic status, project scope and current instructions from the City of Charleston. USA Site Plans provides unsigned drafting services based on supplied property records and project information. An unsigned drafted site plan does not establish legal boundaries or replace a licensed surveyor, architect, engineer or other professional when one is required.