Guide · Nov 1, 2026

How to Read a Site Plan: Property Lines, Setbacks, Easements and Grades

By Eli Gewirtzman, Owner · Last checked Nov 1, 2026

Start with the title block, north arrow and scale, then trace the bold property lines and their dimensions. Next, find each building and the setback distances from it to the lot lines, then the easements, utilities, driveways and grading. Solid versus dashed lines and the legend tell you what’s existing, what’s proposed and what’s above or below grade.

A site plan is a to-scale drawing of what exists on a lot and what’s proposed, as the City of Bellevue, Washington, defines it. Local rules differ, so the examples below come from several towns’ published site plan guides. Use your own town’s checklist for the final word.

1. Orient yourself: title block, north arrow, scale

Title block. Whatcom County, Washington, asks for the project name, owner, site address, parcel number, an abbreviated legal description, the zoning and the date the plan was prepared. Check the date first; an old plan may not show recent work.
North arrow. Find it before you read anything else. Maricopa County, Arizona, notes that north points up “by convention,” but doesn’t have to, so a lot can be drawn at an angle to fit the sheet.
Scale. Site plans use an engineer’s scale, such as 1 inch = 20 feet. Bellevue asks for a graphic scale at 1″ = 10′ or 20′. A graphic scale bar is useful because it stays correct even if the sheet was printed larger or smaller than drawn; a written scale is only true at the original size.

2. Find the property lines

The property boundary is the heaviest line on the sheet. Whatcom County asks for bold exterior property lines with the corners marked. Each side is labeled with its length, and on plans drawn from a survey, often with a bearing such as N 45°12′ E. Streets and alleys along the lot should be named.

3. Find the buildings and their setbacks

Every existing and proposed structure should be drawn and labeled by use: house, garage, shed, deck. Then look for the dimension lines running from each structure to the property lines. Those are the setbacks.

Maricopa County asks for setback measurements on all sides of the main house, normally four, and two for other structures.
Whatcom County measures setbacks from the foundation to the property line.
Bellevue separates zoning setbacks from plat-required building setback lines, which can be stricter. Some plans show both.

Compare each measured setback with your zoning district’s minimums. Dutchess County, New York’s planning guide puts it simply: structures of any kind are generally not allowed in setbacks and buffers.

4. Look for easements

Easements are strips of the lot that someone else has a right to use: utility, drainage, access or conservation. Bellevue asks for every easement on or next to the property, with its recording number. Trace each one and check that no structure, wall or driveway crosses it.

5. Read utilities, driveways and trees

Utilities show water, sewer, storm drainage and power, existing and proposed, above and below ground. Bellevue also asks for street lights and fire hydrants. Driveways and walkways should be dimensioned. Lemon Grove, California, asks for trees with trunks over six inches in diameter and notes any to be removed.

6. Read the grades

Contour lines connect points of equal elevation. Bellevue wants existing and proposed contours at 2-foot intervals; Whatcom County uses 5-foot intervals on gentle lots and 2-foot intervals where slopes reach 25% or more. Closely spaced lines mean a steep slope. You’ll also see spot elevations labeled FF (finish floor) and FG (finish grade). Whatcom County gives slope as rise divided by run, times 100.

7. Decode the line types

Whatcom County’s convention is a good key: solid lines for improvements at grade, dashed or broken lines for things below grade (a septic system) or above grade (a roof overhang). Plans must also clearly separate existing from proposed work, and many drafters show existing work in lighter or screened lines and new work in bold. When in doubt, the legend wins.

8. Check the numbers table

Many towns require a table of calculations on the plan: lot coverage (building footprint as a share of lot area), impervious surface and the area to be cleared. Bellevue’s lot coverage counts decks more than 30 inches above grade.

Printing a site plan

Reviewers measure site plans, so print them full size at 100%. Bellevue’s minimum sheet size is 18×24, and Lemon Grove’s is 24×36; check your town’s rule. At PrintMyPlans.com, upload the PDF and choose 17×22, 18×24, 22×34, 24×36, 30×42 or 36×48, at $1.95 per sheet in black & white or $3.75 in color. Order by 3 PM ET, ships same day.

For surveys and plot plans that go with a permit, see printing a survey or plot plan for a permit. For the rooms, walls and doors inside the house, see how to read a floor plan.