Finding North-

Once you have some kind of semi-accurate map of the site, the next thing I would do is to determine which direction North is in. This may be right on the assessor's map, making this fairly simple. Also, assessors maps normally have North being straight up on the page, but this is not always the case. If there is no indication of this on the map, if you have a compass you may be able to determine roughly where North is by holding the map parallel to one corresponding property line on the site and then jotting down where North is that way.

If you are somewhat computer savvy, there are several easy ways to do find North. If you have a street address (some new properties that have not been built on may not yet have a street address) you can type that address into www.mapquest.com or www.maps.google.com, or another free and terrific program you can download and install is Google Earth, which will give you an satellite photograph of your site. If you do not yet have a street address, you may be able to enter a neighboring address and find your parcel that way. Also, your local County may have a GIS site where you can type in your address or Assessors Parcel Number (usually shown on the deed for your property) and find an aerial photo, and other zoning information, about your site. Again, check out my City & County Links page for that. But for any of these maps or aerial views of your property, North will always be straight up on the page.

Any way you can do this, the point is just to get a rough direction of North so that you can determine how the sun will track across your property. Natural light, in my and most architect's opinions, is critical to a good design, so you will need to know where the sun is going in relation to the spaces in your design. The sun will typically (at this latitude) track in an arc across the southerly portion of your property.

Existing Structures & Setbacks-

If you have an existing house or structure(s) on the site, you will need to measure and map those onto your emerging site plan. Be sure to note how far from each adjacent property line your existing buildings are. From there, it is important to map where the setbacks will be on the site. Consult your local Planning Department as to what these setback distances are from the corresponding front, rear, and side  of your property lines. This will determine your "yards". These setbacks will differ depending on the zoning of your property. Also keep in mind that in more urban/suburban areas the setback for a second or third story may be greater than that for the first story. For larger and more rural properties, the setbacks tend to be much larger than that of smaller, less rural parcels.

Height Limitations-

There will also typically be a maximum height limitation which may be measured in different ways, depending on your zoning and jurisdiction. Check with your local zoning as to how this is measured. For properties with a significant slope, the way in which this is measured can be critical to what is possible with your design. You will also want to locate the significant trees in close proximity to your building site or area on the property. Some jurisdictions can have very specific ordinances regarding tree removal if you find there are trees where you would like to build.

Topography-

Which brings up the issue of topography. If you think your site is essentially flat, you may want to just skip this section, but keep in mind that most sites have at least some slope and that the drainage of water off of your site is of increasing concern to local planning and building departments, so you will want to try and figure out how water is likely draining off of your property so that you will have some idea when asked by your local Planner or Public Works official.

A topographical map or survey is a way of showing the various slopes of the land on a particular area in a 2-dimensional (flat) way on paper. If you look at one of these maps, you will typically see curvy lines that are known as elevation lines. This line represents a line on your site that is all at one elevation (flat). Successive lines are typically the same number of feet (1ft, 2ft, 5ft, etc.) of either a gain or a loss of elevation. Whether it is a gain or loss should be shown with numbers at the end(s) of each of these lines by a number of feet either just relative to the site, or actual feet above sea level. If you have any kind of significant slope on your property, this will of course be a major factor in your design.

The best way to determine this is to have a topographical survey done by a qualified, licensed surveyor. This may cost anywhere from several hundred, to several thousand dollars depending on the size and topography of your site. If you do not want to commit that kind of money at this point to your project, there are a few other possible ways to get a rough idea of the slope(s) on your site. But keep in mind- these methods should be considered as very rough approximations and only for use in the very beginning of your design process. Once you decide to move forward towards actually obtaining a building or use permit, a licensed survey is highly recommended, and increasingly is required by some jurisdictions.