A good resource for a plot plan is a survey issued for a recent mortgage or refinance closing. If you draw the plot plan yourself, be sure to sign and date it, and include contact information. The following are requirements to be shown on the Plot Plan.

• The plot plan should be drawn to scale, using an acceptable engineering scale. Include bar scale, north arrow, date map prepared including revision dates.
• Name and contact information of preparer of the map.
• Property lines with dimensions and road frontage shown.
• Dimensions, location and use of all existing and proposed buildings and structures including additions; distances between buildings measured at the closest point; and distance from buildings to closest property lines.
• Existing and proposed driveways, patios, pool decking, walkways, etc.
• All water features including drainage easements, streams, buffers, and flood zone. Watershed boundaries and WCA Tier lines labeled, including allowable and proposed impervious surfaces, total built-upon area shown in acres and with percent of total area noted.
• Any other easements or restrictions must be shown.

All Construction Plans submitted for permitting must match Plot Plan layouts exactly and are required to be designed to meet the provisions of the NC Residential Code. Decks and Porches must comply with the provisions of the NC Residential Code- Appendix M. Decks with post heights exceeding the requirement of NCRC- App M- Table-AM108.1, and Decks supporting Hot Tubs and Spas, must be designed by a NC registered design professional.

This is a minimum plan review checklist; additional information may be added by the applicant or requested in the field by the Inspector to determine compliance. Permit holders remain responsible for meeting all code requirements regardless of whether a review item is listed. This minimum review checklist is intended to help prevent any major non-compliance issues from being built in the field, which typically results in significant costs and delays on a project. Show all applicable information below to clearly describe scope of work, not all items are required.

General

• Name, address, phone number and email of the person responsible for the design.
• If plans are stamped by a NC registered design professional, their seal is required to be signed and dated.
• Indicate deck square footages and covered porch area square footages.
• Plans must be drawn to scale, legible, with sufficient clarity and detail to indicate the nature of the work, include Bar Scale.
• Designate a space on the plans for the reviewer's stamp.

Decks and Porches

• Deck plans are to be drawn with a top view looking down showing a portion of the house, labeling rooms that are leading onto the deck. Show any other proposed structures within. (fireplace, kitchen area, etc.)
• Elevations to be drawn for clarity, dimension tallest height of deck floor from finish grade. For porches, show how roof attaches to house, roof pitch.
• Overall dimensions and width of stair.
• Footing size, width, depth, location, spacing.
• Decks with post heights exceeding the requirement of NCRC- App M- Table-AM108.1, and Decks supporting Hot Tubs and Spas, must be designed by a NC registered design professional.
• Post size- width, height from top of footing to bottom of girder, spacing.
• Girder size, species-grade, spans, number of members, attachment.
• Floor joist size, spacing, species-grade, spans, direction, attachment.
• Bracing details for free standing decks and decks attached to structures with a deck floor height of 4 feet or more.
• Deck-to-house band attachment details.
• Show cantilevers with spans from support.
• Guardrails are required for over 30” above-grade deck floors.
• Porch Post size- width, height, spacing.
• Header size, species-grade, spans, number of members, attachment.
• Ceiling joist size, spacing, species-grade, spans, direction, attachments.
• Roof rafter size, spacing, species-grade, spans, direction, attachments.
• Ridge size.
• Band attachment to the house for a shed roof.