If there's one drawing that decides whether a homeowner's permit application moves quickly, it's the site plan. It's also the drawing people most often get wrong, not because it's hard, but because nobody told them what it needs to show.
This post covers what a site plan is, what goes on it, when a careful hand sketch is accepted, and when you need something more formal. Your own office's requirements always come first.
What a site plan is
A site plan, sometimes called a plot plan, is a top-down drawing of your property. It shows the property lines, the house and other structures, and the new work, with the distances between them. Zoning reviewers use it to check setbacks, coverage and location. Building reviewers use it to understand the project in context.
It's not a construction drawing. It doesn't need to show how the deck is framed. It needs to show where the deck is.
What it usually needs to show
- Property lines with their lengths, if known.
- The street the property faces, labeled.
- A north arrow.
- Existing structures: the house, garage, sheds, pools, driveways, patios.
- The new work, clearly marked, with its dimensions.
- Distances from the new work to each nearby property line and to other structures. This is the part most often missing.
- Easements, if any.
- Other features that matter for your project: septic tank and field, well, utility lines, steep slopes, streams or wetlands.
- Your name, address and the date.
Where to start
You probably already have a version of your site plan. Look in your closing documents for a survey or a mortgage location survey. Some counties have parcel maps online that show lot lines, though they're usually approximate and not a substitute for a survey. If your property has been permitted before, the town may have a copy on file. Ask.
Start from the best document you have, then draw the new work on a copy.
When a hand sketch is enough
For many smaller residential projects, like fences, sheds, small decks and patios, a lot of offices accept a neat hand-drawn site plan, as long as it's legible, labeled and includes the distances. Use graph paper, a ruler, and a consistent scale if you can. Write dimensions clearly. Don't crowd it.
A photo of a napkin sketch is great for a first conversation with the office or a contractor. It usually isn't enough for the application itself.
When it isn't
- Additions and new structures close to setbacks, where inches matter.
- Projects where the property line is uncertain or disputed.
- Pools, where setbacks from lot lines, septic and structures all matter.
- Towns that require scaled or professionally prepared drawings for certain projects.
- Steep or complicated lots, where grading and drainage matter.
In those cases you may need a surveyor's plan or drawings from a design professional. Ask your office what it requires before you invest in either.
Tips for a plan that gets through quickly
- Measure, don't estimate. Use a long tape and a helper. Measure from the new work to the property line markers, not to the neighbor's fence.
- Show the distances that matter most. For a fence, distance from the line. For a shed, distances to the side and rear lines and to the house. For a deck, distances to the side and rear lines.
- Keep it consistent with the rest of the application. The deck on the site plan should be the same size as the deck on the form.
- Label everything in plain words.
- Make a clean copy. Erasures and cross-outs invite questions.
A simple drawing routine
If you're drawing by hand, this routine works. Tape a sheet of graph paper to a clipboard. Decide a scale, such as one square equals two feet, and write it in the corner. Draw the property lines first, then the house, measured from the front and side lines. Add the driveway and any existing structures. Then draw the new work in a darker pen, and add the distances last, each with a short arrow line. Walk the yard once more with the drawing in hand and check every number. Finally, make a clean copy, because the first one always ends up covered in notes.
Construction drawings are a separate thing
Depending on the project, the office may also want drawings that show how it's built: framing plans, footing details, sections and elevations. Some towns publish typical details for decks or sheds that you can follow and reference. Others want drawings prepared for your project, sometimes by a licensed professional. Ask what's needed when you call.
How Sully turns a sketch into a schematic
In PermitLogic AI, you can photograph a rough sketch, even one on the back of an envelope. Sully reads it and builds a clean conceptual schematic: the house, the new work, the dimensions you've given, and the distances that matter, with any missing ones called out. It's a good way to see your project clearly and to have a better first conversation with the office.
We're careful to call it conceptual. A Sully schematic isn't a survey or a stamped drawing, and it doesn't replace one where your town requires it. It does go into your filing packet alongside the rules that apply and the office's checklist, so you can see what's still needed.
Check with your local permit office
This post is general guidance, not your town's rule. Requirements, fees and timelines vary by town, and your local permit office makes the final call.
Written by Sully Studios, the team behind PermitLogic AI. How we research and write. Spotted an error? Email [email protected].