Offering Land and Public Infrastructure Developments

Planning includes an initial site visit and a discussion of your ideas. We take site pictures and determine visually what infrastructure is available. Through questions and review of a list of project development criteria, we develop a roadmap for how your project can proceed further. Our planning keeps evolving throughout your project.

Proper planning produces picture-perfect projects. It also prevents misunderstanding and disappointment.

A feasibility study helps to determine the off-site infrastructure needs and costs to extend service to the site, including water, sewer, drainage, roads, gas, electricity, and communications. It also determines zoning or special permit requirements for the desired purpose. Every project doesn't require a feasibility study--it's primarily used to establish a budget and help the owner determine the economic feasibility of the project.

All land is zoned for a particular category of use by the governing body (a City or County). When a use is proposed that is outside of the zoning, we have to get the zone changed or apply for a special exception or variance to allow the use we are proposing. Platting is the division of parcels of land into more than one parcel--usually done for resale. Platting usually requires roadway and easement dedication to the public. We try to get these steps started as early in a project as possible because these generally require the longest processing time, and the design can proceed forward independent of the zoning or platting.

On some projects, a registered professional geotechnical engineer will be hired during design to provide paving and earthwork recommendations. If there is a building involved, the Geotech engineer will also provide foundation recommendations that the structural engineer and architect will use in preparing the building plans. We can recommend a Geotech or two for the owner to use, or we can include their fee with ours as a sub-consultant.

A topographic survey of a site indicates the elevations of the surface and also identifies all surface features. Sometimes the surveyor also locates the underground utilities and plots those on the survey as well. A topo survey is always needed when doing any site work. A boundary survey is carried out every time a property is sold. We generally need both kinds of surveys before proceeding with civil and site design. We can use your survey by your surveyor, or we can provide the survey using our surveying sub-consultant, Bennett Surveying, and include their work in our fee to you.

During this phase of the work, a set of Construction Documents, usually consisting of plans and specifications will be prepared. The plans will be drawn to scale and will contain enough information for a contractor to build the project. The Specifications consist of written parameters describing how the various aspects of the Work are to be constructed. Platting and easement documents, if needed, are prepared.

There are usually interim steps taken during the design phase to allow for review and comment by the owner, and by a variety of Government Bodies. Collaboration is key during this phase, as the criteria of the governing bodies must be met, while the needs and budget of the Owner must simultaneously be satisfied as well. Often, these two stakeholders are seemingly in opposition. It is our job to propose solutions that satisfy both stakeholders. We have found that collaboration and laboring togetheryield the quickest and best result. This is both the most challenging and the most satisfying part of the project.

At the end of this phase, construction permits will be issued by relevant Governing Bodies.

During the design phase, your engineer (that would be J C Engineering!) will determine how much we think the project will cost to construct. If the numbers are not within the owner's budget, the project is revised until the budget is met.