Surveys are never required for: interior remodels, re-roofs, re-siding, windows/doors.
Surveys will be required for residential building projects unless the work qualifies for one of the following exclusions:
- General maintenance projects (defined as the repair or replacement of an existing structure where no expansion is proposed) can be excluded from the survey requirement if the following occurs:
- The applicant provides an old certified survey that shows the current location of the structure being replaced/repaired. Note that the dimensions of the proposed construction on the plan sets must match the old survey. Or,
- The applicant provides a to-scale site plan showing that the structure being repaired or replaced is at least 3 feet away (see note) from any applicable setback, and there is no grading, stormwater, or maximum coverage concerns posed by the proposed project as determined by Department of Community Assets and Development staff.
Note that staff is allowed to use discretion to accept a site plan when the distance from a setback is less than 3 feet based on the adjacent land. Is the adjacent land non-buildable? Is the adjacent land parkland? Is there little chance of anyone complaining either now or in the future if the project is built out of compliance? This discretion should only be exercised when staff is 100% certain that the potential for a nonconformity will not create any future problems.
- Additions to existing structures that expand the building footprint can be excluded from the survey requirement if:
- The proposed addition is greater than five feet beyond any applicable structural setback requirement and
- The low floor of the proposed addition will be at least three feet above the regulatory flood protection elevation based on an old survey or available LiDAR data and
- The proposed addition will not require any grading with the potential to impact adjacent property and
- The proposed addition will clearly be conforming to impervious surface requirements for the property by 2% or more
- Additions that do not require expansion of a building footprint(i.e. a second story addition) can be excluded from the survey requirement if:
- The existing structure is greater than one foot beyond any applicable structural setback requirement and
- The applicant provides adequate information to show the structure is either outside of the floodplain, or that the elevation of the existing structure meets all applicable floodplain requirements.
This final exception also applies to expansions that have been reviewed and approved through the land use process using an existing survey or site plan.
New residential construction will always require submittal of a survey to document the proposed grading extent, location of erosion control, proposed drainage following construction, etc. Exceptions to this rule include:
- Sheds or other small structures that do not require footings
- Fences
Floodplain Rule: Structures proposed within a floodplain and/or structures that will require grading within a floodplain will always require a survey.
If you have questions about the New Brighton Survey Policy, please email Ben Gozola.