Zone in on OPA’s Unvarying Dedication to Zoning Approvals
Another critical OPA function is designing within the context of every zoning rule and ordinance on the books. Zoning is about land use (what you can do with your property) and density (how big the building can be). When we design something for our clients, we dot the I’s and cross the T’s to make certain no public official crosses their eyes in terms of any potential zoning challenges. Among a myriad of things, we take into account:
(Architecture 101—Introduction to Zoning Considerations)
Floor Area Ratio (FAR calculations)
A building's total floor area - that is, the square footage of every floor - divided by the area of the parcel of land it's built on.
Lot area per unit
The amount of lot area required for each dwelling unit on the property.
Maximum building height permissible
How tall your building/home can be.
Front yard setback
The required distance between a building and its lot's street-facing edge. Basically, how big your front yard needs to be.
Side setback
The required distance between a building and its lot's side property line. Basically, how much room you need to leave between buildings.
Rear yard open space
The required distance between a building and the lot’s rear property line
On-site open space
The required distance between a building and its lot's rear property line
If Architecture 101 included too much information, we apologize, though we enjoy explaining architectural details to our clients so they can make more informed decisions. Strike that, so we can make more informed decisions together as a partnership.
Our Quality Never varies—Even When Variances Are Needed
There are times when rules and requirements may pose unintended consequences and unnecessary difficulties for you as an owner making it difficult to comply. In such situations there may be a case for “Variance” and a case for Steve Goldstein and OPA to rush to the architectural rescue. Zoning boards beware, and be aware of our comprehensive and remarkably successful skills when applying for variances from local or state jurisdictions. We are happy to handle the entire variance application process for you: including filing the formal application, preparing documents and presentation materials, and appearing in front of the city council or similar ruling body.
Our representation on your behalf goes even farther: we coordinate all meetings pay all zoning fees upfront with checks provided by you and even go to the local fire or health department or school to pay fees and answer any questions or concerns.
We Can Provide both A “Permit Set” and Full or "Bid Set" of Drawings
We’re often asked to create the “Permit set” of construction drawings, which is the minimal set of drawings and information that the local jurisdiction requires in order to issue a permit to construct. This gets a project started. Since these drawings take less time for us to complete, they’re less expensive than a full set of drawings to prepare. However, we typically don’t recommend a permit set of drawings because it can lead to frustration and complications later on ion a project.
We do recommend a set of architectural drawings or what is called a Bid set. These drawings would include all the information found in the permit set of drawings as well as additional design for key elements such as fireplaces, railings, cabinetry layout, ceiling and lighting layout, and so forth. This level of information is usually adequate for any contractor to provide accurate cost estimates without spending excessive time on details and design work that could very well be revised or eliminated at a later date.
We keep contractors (and owners) happy by providing enough information up front to get accurate cost estimates thus enabling them to proceed with the project.
For Those with a Need -- A Need For Speed—OPA Offers Expedited Services
Contact us ASAP