A Guide to Site Planning

When it comes to landscape architecture and design, every successful project starts with a solid site plan. More than just a drawing, a site plan captures the full picture of a property — its boundaries, existing features, and proposed changes — and turns it into a roadmap for design, construction, and compliance. Whether you’re designing a backyard renovation, developing a commercial landscape, or preparing documents for permitting, site plans are the foundation that keeps projects accurate, sustainable, and on track.

In this post, we’ll break down what site plans are, why they matter, the essentials they should include, and how tools like Vectorworks Landmark make creating them easier and more efficient.

WHAT IS A SITE PLAN?

A site plan is a technical drawing that shows both existing and proposed conditions for a property. It’s a cornerstone document in landscape architecture, urban planning, and construction. Site plans are not limited to landscaping — they’re also used by architects, civil engineers, and contractors.

Think of it as the shared reference for every professional involved in a project. Before bidding or installation begins, everyone from owners, designers, and builders needs to be on the same page. A site plan is that page.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SITE PLANS

Permitting and Compliance

Most property improvements, from adding a shed to building a new wing, require a site plan for permitting. These drawings must meet municipal codes or HOA requirements and are often reviewed by certified professionals such as registered architects or landscape architects. In many cases, no work can begin until the site plan is approved.

GIS-Based Site Plans

Online providers now offer GIS- or satellite-based site plans without a site visit. These can be helpful for initial references but aren’t suitable for final documents due to accuracy limitations and potentially outdated imagery. Landscape professionals may purchase base plans from these services, but feet-on-the-ground verification is essential.

SITE PLAN ESSENTIALS

Site Analysis and Inventory

Before design work begins, a thorough site analysis must occur. This pre-design step identifies existing conditions such as soil type, drainage, topography, vegetation, structures, and tree preservation needs. The inventory supports compliance and informs sustainable design decisions.

Information in Site Plans

A complete site plan should clearly show:

• Property boundaries
• Existing structures, pavements, and vegetation
• Proposed changes, including demolition or new construction
• Tree preservation and environmental features

SITE PLANNING AND SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainable site planning is now an expectation for responsible development. A well-prepared site plan shows where things go and helps guarantee that landscapes and structures function efficiently, respect natural systems, and support long-term resilience.

Key Goals of Sustainable Site Plans

1) Optimize Water Management

Good site plans account for drainage, infiltration, and stormwater retention. Swales, rain gardens, and permeable paving can help reduce runoff, recharge groundwater, and minimize flooding risks.

2) Reduce Energy Use

Strategic building orientation, shade from existing or new trees, and thoughtful circulation design can lower heating and cooling needs. For example, placing deciduous trees on the south side of a building provides shade in summer and lets sunlight through in winter.

3) Use Native and Climate-Appropriate Materials

Native plants cut down on irrigation, fertilizer, and transportation costs. They also reduce maintenance and provide habitat for pollinators and wildlife. In terms of transportation costs, locally sourced hardscape materials result in a lower carbon footprint while simultaneously benefiting the local economy.

4) Preserve and Enhance Biodiversity

A sustainable site plan identifies existing ecological assets — such as mature trees, wetlands, and wildlife corridors — and incorporates them into the design. Rather than treating these as obstacles, the plan uses them as anchors for healthy, functional landscapes.

Benefits Beyond the Environment

Sustainability in site planning also delivers clear human and economic benefits:

• Lower long-term maintenance costs
• Improved health and well-being for occupants and communities
• Greater resilience against climate impacts such as flooding and heatwaves
• Stronger compliance with municipal codes, LEED, or SITES certification standards

How Site Plans Drive Sustainable Outcomes

At the planning stage, even small decisions — like where to direct roof runoff or which paving material to specify — have outsized impacts on sustainability. Documenting and visualizing these strategies clearly allows site plans to become the bridge between ecological best practices and real-world implementation.

Creating a site plan in Vectorworks Landmark streamlines what can otherwise be a complex process. Instead of juggling hand sketches, spreadsheets, and separate CAD files, you can manage every phase of site planning within one platform. The typical workflow moves through four key stages:

1. Pre-Design: Laying the Groundwork

Start by importing base information. This could include survey data from CAD or TXT files, GIS references, aerial photos, or scanned documents. Vectorworks allows you to set accurate geospatial coordinates, ensuring that your plan lines up with real-world data. At this stage, you’ll also add critical site information like property boundaries, topography, existing vegetation, and structures.

2. Schematic Design: Exploring Concepts

Once the base is in place, you can start testing design ideas. Vectorworks makes this stage efficient with tools for:

• Quickly generating concept diagrams
• Laying out pathways, plant beds, and circulation patterns
• Using massing models to visualize building placement and shade impacts

These schematic drawings are easy to share with clients and stakeholders for early feedback.

3. Design Development: Adding Detail

Here, you refine the plan by specifying materials, plant palettes, and construction details. Vectorworks’ built-in plant database and material libraries make it easy to align design decisions with sustainability goals or local requirements. Smart objects allow you to track data — such as quantities, costs, and specifications — directly within the plan.

4. Construction Documentation: Finalizing the Plan

The last stage is producing a set of detailed, professional-grade drawings for contractors and permitting authorities. Vectorworks supports sheet layers, annotation tools, and graphic styles that clearly communicate every aspect of the design. These documents can include grading plans, planting plans, irrigation layouts, and even demolition plans if required.

Going Beyond 2D: The Power of 3D and Data Integration

Vectorworks goes beyond static drawings. With 3D modeling, you can visualize the site in context, simulate how light and water move across the property, and test alternative designs before construction begins. Worksheets also let you generate plant lists, material schedules, and cost estimates automatically, keeping the project organized and accurate.

Why it matters: This integrated approach not only saves time but also reduces errors, improves collaboration, and ensures that the final site plan is both buildable and sustainable.

SITE PLAN TIPS, TRICKS, AND BEST PRACTICES

Engage stakeholders early. Clear communication upfront saves time and prevents costly revisions.

Keep geospatial data consistent. Align drawings to reliable reference points to avoid errors.

Leverage 3D modeling. Test ideas in a virtual environment before breaking ground.

Use data-driven collaboration. Integrating worksheets and digital models ensures more accurate planning.

When done right, site plans are powerful tools that guide successful, sustainable projects from concept to completion.