Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
professional relationships
The preparation of site-grading plans involves the collaboration of many
disciplines. The typical team of consultants might include a landscape
architect, civil engineer, land surveyor, architect, geotechnical engineer,
and structural and electrical engineers. Professional land surveyors
prepare the site survey and what serves as the base drawing for much
of the site-grading work required. The base drawing prepared by a land
surveyor documents existing conditions, including at a minimum:
Property lines, servitudes, and easements
•
Large trees and other significant vegetation
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Topography
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Structures
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Other on-site physical features requested by the client or the project prime
consultant
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Landscape architects, civil engineers, or both in collaboration, typi-
cally prepare site-grading plans. How the two collaborate will vary by
project. It is common for the landscape architect to prepare a prelimi-
nary site-grading plan during the schematic and design development
phases of a project. The landscape architect will have prepared a prelim-
inary site design, then will develop a preliminary grading plan. These
plans set the foundation of the landscape grading, including the earth
forms, slopes, and critical elevations of hardscape areas and structures.
The civil engineer may then take over in the design of storm water sys-
tems, principally sizing catch basins and belowground piping systems
determined by runoff and infiltration calculations and the sizing of
drainage channels. The civil engineer may also do the final site-grading
design of roads and parking lots. Assignment of responsibilities is estab-
lished during the negotiation of the professional services contract and
may also be dictated by local or state laws that specify the responsibili-
ties for “stamping”
3
the construction document drawings.
3 “Stamping” refers to professional licensure and the disciplines required to prepare various con-
struction documents as defined by individual state licensure laws. By stamping or signing a techni-
cal plan, the individual or firm represented by the stamp becomes responsible for its accuracy and
the health, safety, and welfare issues promulgated by the state.
