my long road

[MVWSR]

So I've been slowly progressing towards the best garage I can have in my current situation. I've lived in this house for almost 20years, Although it has a detached 1.5car garage it fails short from maximizing the space on the lot & I've maxed out the inside. when the boats in the driveway, I cant get any cars to/from the garage. really ***** for any short/mid project so I end up doing them in the driveway sweltering.
I'v had enough of the 10year dream of what I want, so about 6mounths ago I started my permit process. I researched the **** out of everything so it went ok, right up to the point I found they wouldnt allow my deck sqft as part of my "gross sqft of primary structure". Zoning limits secondary structure , to only %50 of my primary structures footprint (1454) [727], with the deck I'm over 1700sqft. I knew in the back of my head it could be an issue, but I was hoping to catch the right person on the right day. The least I can be content with is 840 (24x35), so I went the variance route. As much as it ***** to pay a bureaucratic fee/tax for something, I would always second guess my lack of trying if i didnt try. So even though the permit office accepted the archived boundary survey from 20 years ago, the DOH accepted and signed off, of no conflict with septic/drain field, the zoning dept required it to be atleast 5years new. This sent me into another level of consideration of was it even worth it for another $500 towards the already accepted $2500 expense of just "asking" for the extra 90sqft. Pressing on, I payed for a new survey to which I just received last week. Now......... I need a scaled site plan. I really dont want to pay the survey company another $500 to draw a 24x35 rectangle on the corner of my lot.
So I need some help from the community. I have been told I can just overlay my proposed garage "to scale" on a copy of the survey I have. I know my required setbacks and such, I just cant find a way to draw on the coverted jpeg of my survey to scale. So far I've only tried messing with sketchup, but I just cant get it right. Please help or recommend an app i can try.

 

[racecougar]

I've done this before just using a ruler/scale. You know your lot dimensions and the building dimensions; a ruler/scale and a pen/pencil should be all you need. Option #2 is to import the jpeg into CAD, but I'd venture that you don't have access to CAD.

 

[MVWSR]

I've done this before just using a ruler/scale. You know your lot dimensions and the building dimensions; a ruler/scale and a pen/pencil should be all you need. Option #2 is to import the jpeg into CAD, but I'd venture that you don't have access to CAD.

no open access CAD for me. I did drafting & CAD in HS, I know that'd probably be the easiest. I see they have a free trial version, but highly doubt it would allow PDF import or any file import.
i need it for electronic submission. With all the other requirements already tagged on my survey, i need to utilize that & just overlay it.
I have my survey in PDF, and already converted to jpeg. i just need the next steps.lol

 

[racecougar]

Then you're back to a ruler/scale. Scan it afterward into whichever electronic format you like (PDF, JPG, etc.).

 

[WisJim]

Print it out, mark up your paper copy and then scan it again. That's what I did for my building.

 

[DGersic]

Open your image in Gimp. Add a layer. Draw your rectangle. Export to whatever format you need to submit it in.

GIMP

GIMP - The GNU Image Manipulation Program: The Free and Open Source Image Editor

www.gimp.org

 

[Gangly]

CAD will allow for PDF, jpeg, etc. import. Do a screen capture of the document you want, save it as a jpeg, then import it into the CAD file using "IMAGEATTACH".

 

[1/4atatime]

I've done this before just using a ruler/scale. You know your lot dimensions and the building dimensions; a ruler/scale and a pen/pencil should be all you need. Option #2 is to import the jpeg into CAD, but I'd venture that you don't have access to CAD.

This is what I did but my town is pretty chill. I literally just took a piece of paper drew some rough sketches with distances drawn as close to scale as possible and then made a copy of it and signed my name to it. Then I brought it up to my permit office and showed them the drawings along with where it roughly translated to on the map and I was good to go.

 

[racecougar]

My P&Z is anything but chill, and they have accepted that method multiple times from me. Use a ruler/scale and you're following the rules, as you are drawing it to scale.

 

[The Bean]

Anything you do with a jpeg is going to be not to scale.
You say you have a pdf of site plan (assume from engineer).
I do this all the time. I insert the pdf into a new, empty AutoCAD drawing as overlay, set it to the background, and draw what I need at the scale of the PDF.
It is indistinguishable from original drawing.

 

[racecougar]

Anything you do with a jpeg is going to be not to scale.
You say you have a pdf of site plan (assume from engineer).
I do this all the time. I insert the pdf into a new, empty AutoCAD drawing as overlay, set it to the background, and draw what I need at the scale of the PDF.
It is indistinguishable from original drawing.

See post #3.

 

[The Bean]

See post #3.

I read the whole thread. I'm available, for a price, not expensive

 

[dcg9381]

Now......... I need a scaled site plan. I really dont want to pay the survey company another $500 to draw a 24x35 rectangle on the corner of my lot.

Dollars to donuts they used computer software to provide the survey. Ask for the digital copy.

Even if it's PDF, it can be imported and scaled by software. But CAD is what I use and I'd have to look up the nuances of doing it.

Scaling the drawing is actually a little complex, you have to know the size of the scan and then the scale of the drawing if there isn't other encoding in the file type.

Let one of the CAD guys above help out. I'll bet someone would draw your setbacks and building in for a pretty low cost. Get the CAD file back (in case of future revisions). Doesn't have to be CAD perfect.

 

[The Bean]

If the drawing was created in AutoCAD, and 'printed' to PDF file, it should be at 100% of the paper size specified in the CAD file, 24"x36" for example. Reinserting into CAD as an Xref, will preserve that 100%. Saving as a jpeg image file or, God forbid, taking a picture of the PDF sheet will destroy the scalability.
I have never tried to use other image software to put a jpeg image of a DWG file into scale for re-issuing. It's kind of like putting Humpty Dumpty back together again.

I would put the PDF into 'model space' and scale it up (x48 for 1/4" scale, for instance). Then draw the new work at 1 to 1. Create a new viewport in 'paper space' and you're ready to print new drawing sheet.

Easy Peezy

 

[The Bean]

I just completed editing for a friend a full set of drawings for three story commercial project where the original CAD files were unavailable (designer passed away and left password protected computer). We did have a 'final set' in PDF form. Took me 1 day to make the changes and reissue the set for building permit.

The hardest part was the drawings had to be printed using Adobe PDF print driver and each sheet took about an hour to process. A newer, faster PC likely would have cut that time down, but I had to do it to preserve the original crispness of linework and fonts.

 

[thammel]

I did a variance 25+ years ago and did the drawing and all the paperwork myself. A bit of a pain as I recall, but it worked out well. I think I worked from a plat copy and put all the required info on there.

 

[Snapped-off]

I feel fortunate. I'm trying to get a shed put up. Had to get a variance for it. 100 bucks and a site plan.

Whipped up the site plan on MS paint. 40 bucks for a newspaper ad, and 5 adjoining landowners notified.

County hearing next month...

 

[MVWSR]

Dollars to donuts they used computer software to provide the survey. Ask for the digital copy.

Even if it's PDF, it can be imported and scaled by software. But CAD is what I use and I'd have to look up the nuances of doing it.

Scaling the drawing is actually a little complex, you have to know the size of the scan and then the scale of the drawing if there isn't other encoding in the file type.

Let one of the CAD guys above help out. I'll bet someone would draw your setbacks and building in for a pretty low cost. Get the CAD file back (in case of future revisions). Doesn't have to be CAD perfect.

like you said, I do have my new survey in PDF, I just dont have the time this week and really want to get this sent off by Friday.|
Yeah I'm going to try to work with someone. I've got a site plan Ive already drawn, on my old survey but my city is being very particular and I dont want to waste another week or 2 for them to review just to say no it needs to be redrawn on the new survey

 

[MVWSR]

I feel fortunate. I'm trying to get a shed put up. Had to get a variance for it. 100 bucks and a site plan.

Whipped up the site plan on MS paint. 40 bucks for a newspaper ad, and 5 adjoining landowners notified.

County hearing next month...

yeah I wish. 1700 to file, 250 for the ad, $** for x signs, $8 for everyone within 350-500' radius

Good Luck!!

 

[carlaisle]

Are there not dimensions on your survey? That's all you need to scale your proposed building.

 

[Codyboy]

I feel fortunate. I'm trying to get a shed put up. Had to get a variance for it. 100 bucks and a site plan.

Whipped up the site plan on MS paint. 40 bucks for a newspaper ad, and 5 adjoining landowners notified.

County hearing next month...

yeah I wish. 1700 to file, 250 for the ad, $** for x signs, $8 for everyone within 350-500' radius

Good Luck!!

Wow. Yall have to take out notification ads for that stuff?
Never heard of such a thing.
Thats some crazy government overreach.
Wow

 

[racecougar]

Are there not dimensions on your survey? That's all you need to scale your proposed building.

Bingo

 

[The Bean]

Well, guys. Problem solved.

 

[Max]

I had a similar situation when remodeling our deck. I had a pdf version of my property’s plat, but without my house placed on it. I measured my house perimeter, found some points on the plat that I could reference in both the house placement and scale, and then I added the house to the original plat. I did it all in LibreCAD which was free and worked well for me.

Now how the original owner builder got a permit for the house and yet the county still had the original plat - I’ve got no idea. They knew there was a house there but no data on it was to be found.

LibreCAD - Free Open Source 2D CAD

 

[Stuart in MN]

Unless they told you specifically it has to be in electronic form, pencil and paper should be adequate. If you already have a site survey plan, are there any dimensions on it? From those you can scale the drawing. If not, go out and physically take a measurement of a property line or of your house or anything else shown on the site survey, and use that to scale the drawing.

 

[MVWSR]

Unless they told you specifically it has to be in electronic form, pencil and paper should be adequate. If you already have a site survey plan, are there any dimensions on it? From those you can scale the drawing. If not, go out and physically take a measurement of a property line or of your house or anything else shown on the site survey, and use that to scale the drawing.

yes my variance application is all electronic.

 

[MVWSR]

Problem solved fellas. I worked with The Bean, who is an absolutely expert. It only took a few hours for an architect level print.

As I said, I already had a site plan I did on the old survey with a basic piddly rectangle. Which the permit department didn't seem to have a problem with. This variance request is going before a board for approval and I wanted it to be the best presentation to give it its best chance. I'll have acouple grand on the line if its a go /no-go. I know it coulda done all the cheap/easy routes, but at the end of the day it was a proper investment. I didn't want another day of wasted time and it was done while I worked. I had it forwarded off with my application package shortly after lunchtime yesterday. I couldn't be happy

 

[The Bean]

FWIW, my part was a small fraction of the OPs total costs.