Architecture, Engineering, and Construction Division

Civil Analysis, Design, Drawing

and
Construction Checklists

Release Date: March 21, 2013

All previous versions of this document are obsolete.

A copy of this document is available for download to Church employees,

Consulting architects and structural engineers on the AEC Website located at:

 http://aec.ldschurch.org/aec/
 Select “Design Guidelines” under “Support Documents”
 Select “Civil Analysis, Design and Drawing Checklists” under “Supplemental
Documents”
 Use the password “nephi” if a password is requested

Contact Chris Barker (email: Chris.Barker@ldschurch.org; phone: 801-505-3000)

with questions or suggestions for improvement.

Salt Lake City, Utah

Project Name: Date Sheet Number: of 2
Project Number: Checked By:

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHECKLIST I
CIVIL DESIGN, CRITERIA AND SCOPE OF WORK REVIEW

I. Building Codes and Miscellaneous Items Information:.................................................Page 1

II. Client Supplied Information:......................................................................................... Page 1
III. Civil Information:.......................................................................................................... Page 1
Stormwater Management Plan Information:.......................................................Page 1
Stormwater Pollution and Prevention Plan (SWPPP) Information:.....................Page 1

CHECKLIST II
CONTRACT DOCUMENT REVIEW

I. General Drawing Format:.............................................................................................Page 1

II. Civil Contract Documents:............................................................................................ Page 1
III: Contract Document Summary:.....................................................................................Page 1

CHECKLIST III
CONSTRUCTION

I. Construction:................................................................................................................ Page 1
The following checklists are provided as a guide to encourage thorough review of the civil contract
documents. They are also intended to promote the production of high quality contract documents with
minimal errors. They are not to be interpreted as representing all items that the civil engineer needs to
consider. These lists have been built from Owner experience and various other sources. An abbreviated
form of these checklists is available on the AEC Website.

CHECKLIST I
CIVIL DESIGN, CRITERIA AND SCOPE OF WORK REVIEW

I. Building Codes and Miscellaneous Items Information:

 Obtain, read and understand AEC Design Guidelines and AEC Site Adapt Guidelines?
 Will culinary water source be a well or be from the city?
 Will a septic sewer system be used or will waste water be tied into the city’s waste water
system?
 Does AHJ require or allow for separate metering devices for irrigation water and building
water? The Owner would like to have separate metering devices.
 Determine applicable codes and any special design provisions required by the AHJ.
 Determine the approval process?
 Does property need to be re-zoned?
 Determine time frame for rezoning?
 Does property need to be platted?
 Is a preliminary and final plat required?
 Review the AHJ approval processes and their time frames.
 Determine what community interaction meetings are required:
 Neighborhood notifications?
 City planning approvals?
 City Council approvals?
 Determine what utility services are required for the property (water, sewer, gas, phone,
communication, high speed internet, etc.)?
 Is a traffic study required?
 What is the access to the site?
 Are offsite improvements within public right of way required at an expense to the Owner (this
could be significant in design fees and construction costs)?
 Determine building and parking setback requirements which are based on zoning issues?
 Is a variance from the AHJ needed?
 Determine project address (location) and project function?
 Determine the occupancy category or risk category of the building per code, but verify
category to be used with AEC Design Guidelines?
 Determine the ADA needs and requirements from the AHJ and AEC Guidelines?

II. Client Supplied Information:

 Review Owner and AHJ requirements for parking and landscaping (mow strips, etc.
 Consider landscape buffers and screening of parking areas, open space requirements,
minimal tree and shrub requirements?
 Consider Owner and AHJ building signing requirements and allowances?
 Be aware of irrigation requirements (controller requirements, water service type and size and
components)?
 Obtain the prepared Boundary and Topographic (ALTA) Survey Plan? If not available, ask to
have one prepared or prepare one as agreed by contract with the Client?
 Obtain a Geotechnical Evaluation Report from Client?
 Obtain Environmental Reports from Client?
 Obtain Title Report for ownerships & encumbrances
 Obtain any preliminary site plans/landscaping plans from Client?
 Evaluate grading plan early for cut and fill requirements (Is the site long or short on
material? Try to balance the site.)?
 Obtain dimensioned floor plans and elevations from Client?
  Determine sheet size and title block to be used from Client?
 Determine any special drafting standards and/or drafting formats required by the Client?
 Obtain overall budget and budget for civil portion of the project from Client?
 Determine from Client if future expansion of building is being considered (many Church
projects can be built in phases)?
 Verify the required security requirements with Client (fences, etc.)?
 Work with design team to site the building?
 If possible, try to orient the building main entrance facing the warm side of the building to
help keep the ice and snow on the sidewalks and handicap parking clear?
 Orient building for best public view and access?
 Is a pavilion or storage building required?

III. Civil Information:

 Verify accuracy of drawings for buildings on adjacent properties?
 Arrange site to allow for future expansion or for more parking stalls?
 Locate dumpster close to one of the parking lot entrances to minimize the heavy trucks
passing through the parking lot and causing distress to the paving?
 Determine if a subsurface drainage system is required to protect the building, paving or other
site elements?
 Design subsurface drainage system to comply with local code requirements?
 Include separate systems to collect and drain surface water and subsurface water?
 Subsurface drainage system includes lift stations, pumping stations, vaults, manholes,
cleanouts, etc? Avoid these measures whenever possible.
 Is the site located in a FEMA designated flood plain?
 Is building in a designated flood plain allowed by the AHJ?
 What flood plain details are required and what considerations need to be addressed?
 Review site for Endangered Species; not usually significant on small sites (can obtain letter
from Fish and Wildlife Service or State Wildlife Department for clearance)?
 Review site for Cultural Resource issues – Archaeological and Historic Preservation (can
obtain letter from state historic society for clearance)?
 Review Site Conditions for Water of the U.S. (Jurisdictional Ponds, Creeks, Wetlands)?
 Evaluate permit process if impacted by Jurisdictional Water of the U.S. evaluate permit
process (may be time consuming; nationwide permit or individual permit)?

Stormwater Management Plan:

 Determine the governing agency's stormwater design criteria, including recurrence intervals
and durations?
 Will surface stormwater be retained on-site?
 Will surface stormwater be disposed of off-site by connection to the system recognized by the
AHJ?
 Method of conveyance or storage:
 Use of pervious concrete or other pervious systems investigated?
 Use of sumps or wells investigated?
 Use of swales and bio-swales investigated?
 Native grasses
 Use of rain gardens investigated?
 Will surface stormwater be controlled on-site with dry wells, sumps?
 Are retention ponds required?
 Are detention ponds required?
 Are buried detention storage chambers required?
 Have their life cycle costs and maintenance requirements been compared against
those of other systems?
 Stormwater fees charged by the local jurisdiction may be lowered in some cases, when
the run-off and sediment load on the local storm drain system is reduced.
 Provide drainage calculations?
 Use reference manuals such as: Mid-America Regional Council and American Public Works
Association Manual of Best Management Practices for Stormwater Quality.
Stormwater Pollution and Prevention Plan (SWPPP) and Site Plan
Preparation:
 Read and know the requirements of the State General Permit relating to Land Disturbance, or
EPA General Permit when it applies?
 Inquire as to any local land disturbance requirements at the City level – may be different from
the state?
 Does the owner or AHJ require a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan (SWPPP) or equal?
 Has the civil engineer been contracted to provide a Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plan
(SWPPP)?
 Determine if the down-stream receiving waters are designated as recreational areas or
wildlife refuges, or otherwise important to the local community? 
 Additional requirements for proper erosion and run-off controls?   
 Identify if the downstream receiving waters have been listed as "impaired" by the
Environmental Protection Agency or local governing agency?
 Additional mitigation requirements will be mandatory?
 Owner can be held responsible by downstream home associations if disturbed areas add silt
to existing lakes/ponds.
 Minimize clearing and grading?
 Protect waterways?
 Phase construction to limit soil exposure?
 Immediately stabilize exposed soils?
 Protect steep slopes and cuts?
 Install perimeter controls to filter sediments?
 Employ Advanced Sediment Settling Controls?
 Certify and train contractors on stormwater site plan implementation?
 Control waste at the construction site?
 Inspect and maintain “best management practices”?
 Clearly outline designated Washout Pads, Track-out Pads, Disposal areas, and Staging
area.  This tends to alleviate unnecessary disturbance in and around the sight.
 Phase the construction activity to limit the impact on erosion and allow for “best management
practices” to be more manageable?
 Can the existing topsoil be used as part of “best management practices”?  Limiting the
demolition impact on existing topsoil can be very advantageous (this can be accomplished by
specifying trucking routes, stockpile locations, etc.)
 Has the Owner been notified that he/she is the responsible (and potentially liable) party?  
 The Owner is generally required to sign the Stormwater Pollution and Prevention Plan?
 Documents should be provided to the Owner for the Owner to have reviewed with the
Owner’s counsel?
 The Owner needs to have a good understanding of the project impacts, schedule and
contractor methods.
 Longer construction period equals greater risk of violation.
 Failures often occur over a period of time during which small incremental failures
occur.
 Typically, a contractor spends more time, effort and money progressively
increasing levels of protection or repairing “best management practices” than
would have been spent initially installing appropriate “best management
practices” and maintaining them through the life of the project?
 Owner/Contractor should understand the requirements for posting permits at the site and
maintaining updated SWPPP for review if state or local representatives arrive at the project?
 Inform the Owner/Contractor that the SWPPP is a changing document that must be updated
during construction due to unknown conditions? Changes typically always occur.
 Contractually arrange with the owner the maintenance of best management practices
during construction?
 Inform the Owner/Contractor when a site is stabilized?
 Have all required SWPPP notifications been distributed to necessary parties?
 Responsibilities for contractor are fully defined in contract documents regarding the SWPPP
including maintenance, inspections and removals of “best management practices” devices?
 Inform the Owner/Contractor that they need to complete all requirements for terminating
permits at the appropriate time (NOT – Notice of Termination)?
 Clearly identify when “best management practices” (silt fence, basins, berms, etc)
associated with land disturbance should be removed (too often silt fence is left in place
and becomes an eyesore)?
 CHECKLIST II
CONTRACT DOCUMENT REVIEW

I. General Drawing Format:

 Does the title block information on the civil drawings match that of the architect’s drawings
(property number, project name, project location, date, etc.)?
 Is the civil engineering firm's name included in the title block with the name of the CAD
operator, the design engineer and the reviewing engineer?
 Is the seal of responsible civil engineer included on the drawings (if applicable)?
 Does the size of the civil sheets match the size of the architectural sheets?
 Is the font type and font size used acceptable to the architect and conform to the Owner
Guidelines?
 The drawings should include a statement such as PRELIMINARY, CONCEPT, SCHEMATIC,
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT, NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION, etc. until the drawings are ready for
bid?
 Do the civil sheet titles match the sheet titles and drawing numbers used in the General
Drawing Index?
 Are there any drawings listed in the General Drawing Index that are not included in the civil
drawings?
 Is the nomenclature throughout the drawings and specifications consistent?
 Has a list of definitions for abbreviations, symbols, marks and legend symbols been
provided?
 Plans are drawn to scale?
 Graphic scales are included and drawn to scale?
 Details are drawn to scale per Owner Guidelines?
 Do the plan sheets correctly show the north arrow for orientation?
 Existing construction should be shown “grayscale” with “(E)” or “EXISTING”?
 Dimension the location of new construction with respect to existing construction?
 Dimensions that need to be “field verified” should be clearly noted?
 Automatically place the AutoCAD plot time and date stamp when the drawings are plotted?
 Revisions to final drawings (inclusion of addenda, change of scope, etc.) should be “clouded”
with the revision date and a revision description?

II. Civil Contract Documents:

 Are basic civil design criteria for the project correct and clearly stated on plans?
 Have civil calculations for drainage been submitted?
 Do calculations ensure that the basis of design criteria was followed?
 Interior slab on grade elevation established to permit positive drainage away from the
building?
 Incorporate the requirements of the Geotechnical Evaluation Report into the contract
documents (plans and specifications).
 Utility services such as transformers, mechanical equipment, cooling towers, storage sheds,
etc. are located so as not to detract from the building or obstruct future expansion?
 Specifications have been reviewed and edited?
 Specifications reflect the requirements for preparing subgrades (including unstable soils)
and bases from the Geotechnical Evaluation Report?
 The information on the civil drawings has been coordinated with the specifications?
 Sidewalks protected from the effects of heaving soil?
 Are there a sufficient number of parking stalls on the site?
 Parking lot layout with handicap accessible stalls provided?
 Ingress and egress noted?
 Paving systems designed and detailed for a 40 year minimum life? Use Owner Guidelines for
loads to be used for design?
 Provide design for the paving around the trash enclosure to support garbage trucks?
 Specifications for paving adjusted for local conditions?
 The site should be designed to assure all paving surfaces drain?
 ½% minimum grade provided at concrete curb and gutter flow lines?
  1% minimum grade for concrete to drainage outlets?
 2% minimum grade for asphalt to drainage outlets?
 5% maximum grade on parking surfaces.
 Provide with catch and release curbs and gutters around the perimeter.
 If possible, drain to the perimeter, not to interior catch basins to make placement
of the paving easier and to obtain a better quality job.
 Are the parking stalls a minimum of 8'-6" wide and 18'-0" deep?
 Preferred size should be 9'-0" wide and 20'-0" deep?
 Are the overall parking lot widths as follows?
 90 degree right angle parking - 65 ft preferred (60 ft minimum)?
 60 degree diagonal parking - 60 ft preferred (55 ft minimum)?
 45 degree diagonal parking - 55 ft preferred (50 ft minimum)?
 Site drainage:
 Are drainage calculations provided?
 Well designed site drainage prevents erosion?
 Is the finish floor elevation 6 inches above the high point of the finished grade adjacent to
the building in landscaped areas?
 Rain water drainage away from the building must be addressed?
 Verify that finish grades slope away from building per Owner Guidelines (i.e. 1/4” per
foot for 12’ with finish grades being 6” lower than the finish floor elevations against
the building except at entries and mechanical equipment pads)?
 Properly size, slope and detail downspouts and rain gutters if they are required?
 Downspouts and rain gutters are required where moisture sensitive soils are
found?
 Detail a foundation and footing drainage system (subsurface drainage system) around
the building to control ground water if needed?
 Do not connect surface water drainage systems with foundation (subsurface)
drainage systems?
 Gutters and downspouts must remain accessible for cleaning?
 All water shall be disposed of in a manner acceptable to the AHJ and without causing
problems for adjacent property owners (A WRITTEN AND OWNER APPROVED
AGREEMENT IS REQUIRED IF NOT)?
 If runoff from Church developed site is discharged on or through adjacent property,
do we have a written agreement granting this right for perpetuity?
 Protect neighbors from 100 year runoff minimum?
 If water enters the site from off-site areas, are existing drainage channels designed and
detailed to properly control and dispose of this water?
 Are the paving surfaces not sloped greater than a maximum of 5%? (to help prevent
people from slipping in icy conditions)?
 Are invert elevations shown on all catch basins, drainage structures & piping?
 The paving surface should not be used for ponding storm water from the 10 year storm
when detention or retention is required.
 Do not use paving as storage areas for 10 year storm?
 Runoff in excess of the 10 year storm may be ponded on the paving surface?
 Have retention or detention areas been designed and detailed?
 Indicate required volumes of water stored in retention and detention basins?
 Are the required volumes verified with the run-off calculations?
 Dimensions and elevations of all ponds, detention basins and retention basins provided?
 Are rip-rap, inlet and outlet elevations, grates, manholes, concrete swales, culverts,
piping and similar items well defined and detailed in the construction documents?
 Size grates and piping for calculated flows?
 Call out top of grate and flow line elevations on site plans?
 Are mow strips, sidewalks and other site concrete items set at proper elevations to
prevent trapping roof water against the building foundation walls?
 Use area drains in lawn and paved areas if needed to achieve slopes required by Owner
Guidelines?
 Incorporate detectable warning panels?
 Incorporate ADA requirements?
 Incorporate AHJ directed improvements:
 Off-site adjoining streets?
 Water lines?
 Sewer lines?
 Sidewalks?
 Etc.?
 Remove all details from the standard detail sheets that do not apply? Site adapt, and
augment, the remainder as needed?
 List the codes used for the project on the contract documents?
 Provide plans at a minimum scale of 1 inch = 20 feet (1:240) that show or provide:
 The benchmark location and elevation?
 Existing and proposed contours at 1 foot intervals?
 For sites with existing and final grades of 2 percent or less, show existing and
proposed contours at 0.5 foot intervals.
 Steep (slopes greater than 2 horizontal to 1 vertical) portions of the site may use
2 foot to 5 foot contour intervals?
 Existing and finished spot elevations for existing and new concrete structures
including building slabs, building entrances, equipment slabs, catch basins, curb cuts
to offsite streets, beginning and ending of slopes for walkways, curbs, inverts, gutters
and waterways?
 A sufficient number of top of mow strip elevations to ensure correct installation?
 Dimension site elements from property lines?
 Provide dimensions for walkways, curbs, gutters, drainage swales, structures,
equipment slabs, paving, fences and buildings?
 Provide sections of roads, streets and site entrances?
 Provide one (minimum) longitudinal cross section and two (minimum) transverse
cross sections through the building and the site indicating existing and final grades
and indicating the final building interior slab on grade elevations?
 Location of utility lines and their connections, both on-site and off-site?
 The elevation contours of water elevations for both the 10 year and the 100 year 24
hour storms at areas used for detention or retention of water?
 The locations of control and expansion joints in concrete curbs, gutters, sidewalks
and mow strips are provided?
 At paved areas, joint spacing and location to be coordinated with and match
curbs, gutters, sidewalks and parking stall widths.
 Right of ways and easements are shown?
 Locations of light poles are shown?
 Locations of flag poles are shown?
 Locations of retaining walls are shown?
 Retaining walls have been designed and detailed?
 Is the civil engineer responsible for the design and detailing of any retaining walls
or miscellaneous site walls?
 Locations of stairs are shown?
 Stairs and handrails have been designed and detailed?
 Fire lane access has been indicated?
 Incorporate any locally required setbacks for building and parking at front, rear, and
sides and any/or any greenbelt open spaces) requirements into the contract
documents?
 Provide testing and inspection requirements for civil items?
 Earthwork?
 Concrete?
 Masonry?
 Paving?
 Provide civil engineering observation requirements?
 Coordinate sewer connection to verify the depth is adequate to accommodate a
baptismal font?
 Indicate utility connections and locations?
 Indicate drainage system(s)?
 Surface drainage system is separated from the subsurface drainage system?
 Subsurface drainage system correctly and adequately detailed?
 Subsurface drainage system includes lift stations, pumping stations, vaults, manholes,
cleanouts, etc?
 CHECKLIST III
CONSTRUCTION

I. Construction:
 The number of site observations to be performed by the civil engineer has been contractually
established?
 Attend preinstallation meetings and provide site observations as contractually established?
 Verify the work on the project site is as shown on the civil site and grading plans and related
civil work described in the contract documents?
 Errors are immediately reported to the architect?
 Review mix designs and reinforcing shop drawings for exterior site work (curb, gutter, paving,
etc.)?
 Review test results and recommend to architect acceptance or rejection of the tested work?
 Compaction of aggregate base?
 Concrete site work?
 Asphalt/concrete paving?
 Etc?
 Finalize any documentation required by the AHJ (SWPPP, etc.)?
 The civil engineer shall submit to the architect a written statement that the site observations
have been made and identify any reported deficiencies that to the best of the civil engineer’s
knowledge have not been resolved. Provide written site observation reports within 24 hours
of each observation being made.