Self Storage Site Plans: An Essential Step for Successful Development

When building a self storage facility, it is easy to get lost in the process. Many people get ahead of themselves and envision the features they want in their facility, or how they want it to look while overlooking one crucial step: the site plan.

What is a Conceptual Site Plan?

Before construction begins, a conceptual site plan (CSP) should be completed. This is a visual representation or sketch that outlines the proposed layout and design of your facility. It typically includes key elements such as buildings, landscaping, parking areas, access points, utilities, power lines, terrain, and other features relevant to the development of your self storage facility. This will help you and other stakeholders visualize the potential development and make more informed decisions about the project before investing in architectural drawings¹. This is why it’s key to work with the steel building experts at Forge.

At Forge Building Company, we start with a comprehensive evaluation of your project’s requirements, including site details, budget constraints, and timelines. Throughout this process, we are able to come up with solutions that ensure your project’s success.

Why Does a Site Plan Matter?

Before ground can be broken on your self storage project, the site plan is a critical piece of the equation that will be used for the review and approval process by the planning department in your municipality. The planning department will review the site plan to ensure it adheres to all applicable ordinances and development standards.

The site plan also serves as a common operating picture and project roadmap for the development team. Capturing all major elements including site engineering and construction elements in a single plan will serve to keep the efforts of the engineers, architects, general contractors, and developers aligned. It will also help with project budgeting and provide the entire team with the elements needed to make informed decisions.

Vision for Your Self Storage Facility

The site plan will provide you with a visual representation of your vision for your self storage facility. Seeing your vision on paper (or screen) will enable you to have a clearer understanding of what you are trying to achieve. This also provides you with the ability to assess the feasibility of your project and make any adjustments if necessary before going out to investors and lenders.  Finally, it provides you with a document that ensures your project stays on course and aligns with your objectives.

Partnering with the experts at Forge Building Company will help ensure that your vision becomes a reality. When drafting a site plan, we oversee all aspects of the planning process to ensure that everything is up to standard and exactly how you envision it.

Elements That Go into a Site Plan

When creating your site plan, there are several elements that should be included².

1. Directions, notes, and abbreviations, as well as project data and a vicinity map.
2. Legal Description – This includes your township, zip code, and your section.
3. Property Lines – These are marked around the perimeter of your site and are considered the limits of your potential design. Without knowing your property lines, you could be building on land that isn’t yours.
4. Setbacks – These are distances between buildings and property lines.
5. Existing and Proposed Conditions – Features like fence lines, utility, and power lines need to be included. These will also illustrate whether inspectors need to be called in during the construction process.
6. Construction Limits – This shows the parts of the property where the construction is taking place and where construction materials and equipment will be stored.
7. Surrounding streets and street signs – Along with the flow of traffic, your site plan should show how your property functions within the streets and avenues that surround it.
8. Driveways, Walkways, and Parking Areas – Your site plan should show the exact dimensions of driveways and curbs.
9. Fire Hydrants. City codes govern the distance your property must be from fire hydrants, and a new construction site plan must also include these before submitting them to the city for approval.
10. Easements – These are features of your property that are shared with someone else for a specific purpose, such as pathways or utility lines.
11. Landscaped Areas – This should include not only the measurements, but also the type of landscape feature and retaining walls.

Final Thoughts

When you choose to work with the steel building experts at Forge Building Company, you can rest assure that all your site planning needs will be taken care of. Our team of experts will provide strategic plans that maximize space, improve your facility’s functionality, and increase efficiency.

Secondly, by entrusting the team at Forge Building Company to complete your conceptual site plan, you are ensuring that every detail of your facility will be carefully drawn up and communicated with everyone involved in developing your facility.

Finally, by choosing Forge Building Company for your next project, you will experience firsthand the transformative impact of meticulous planning and years of experience to ensure that every decision you make is the right one.

Reach out to us today to discover how we can bring your vision to reality with precision, efficiency, and unparalleled expertise.‌

References
1. Hover Architecture. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://hoverarchitecture.com/: https://hoverarchitecture.com/csp/
2. MT Copeland. (2020, June 30). Retrieved from mtcopeland.com: https://mtcopeland.com/blog/what-is-a-site-plan-11-things-good-site-plans-must-include/