Civil Engineering

Civil engineering for Florida land development

MES prepares civil plans for Florida sites. A typical set covers the survey, site plan and utility plan, plus a drainage letter where a site needs one.

Most of our Florida civil work is commercial: drive-up water kiosks and ice vending machines. Each site gets its own plan set and its own local review. When a city asks for more sheets, we add them.

How site review works in Florida

The city or county reviews the site plan under its own code. We start with public records, as-built drawings, zoning codes and GIS data, and we confirm which agency has the site. A mailing address can point to the wrong one.

Stormwater and wetland work falls under the Environmental Resource Permit (ERP) program. One of Florida's five water management districts reviews most applications. Operating agreements send some project types to FDEP.

State law gives the agency 30 days to ask for more information and 60 days after a complete application to act (Section 373.4141, F.S.).

Fill in wetlands can also need a federal Section 404 permit. Since a 2024 federal court ruling, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has handled those in Florida.

A site that disturbs one acre or more, or is part of a larger common plan, and drains to surface waters or a storm sewer system needs coverage under FDEP's NPDES Construction Generic Permit. The notice of intent goes in at least 2 days before work starts.

Work nearby

For an ice vending company, we took on sites in Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Largo, Seminole and Lutz. Records research showed that one Clearwater address falls under the City of Largo, so we filed with Largo and followed up with a pre-application meeting. Read about the ice vending site program.

We have also completed civil site plans and city review for drive-up water kiosk sites from Tampa to Melbourne and West Palm Beach. See the drive-up water kiosk program.

Common questions

Does a small commercial site in Florida need an ERP?

Not always. Under Rule 62-330.020, F.A.C., an ERP is needed for work in wetlands or other surface waters, more than 4,000 square feet of impervious surface with vehicle traffic, more than 9,000 square feet of impervious surface, or a project area over five acres, unless an exemption applies. Other triggers apply too.

Which water management district reviews my site?

It depends on where the site sits. The five districts are Northwest Florida, Suwannee River, St. Johns River, Southwest Florida and South Florida. We confirm the district and its rules before design.

Can you prepare plans for many sites at once?

Yes. Our multi-site plan sets follow one pattern, so each city gets a consistent package. We answer each city's review comments and resubmit.