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Preliminary Staff Approved Site Plans


Group Housing


Process Description:
The Preliminary Staff Approved Site Plans process is an established procedure for the preliminary review of certain types of site plans as listed below and are selected by and processed by city staff of the Department of City Planning Department.  Project types that may be approved administratively fall under this process in accordance with City Code  Part 10 Chapter 2 Section 2132.2.  No public input or review by public boards or commissions is required for projects that can be approved by administrative staff.  Because of the complexity of these types of projects and the coordination among city departments, it is necessary to do a preliminary administrative review before reviewing projects for permitting.  Other types of developments may require Preliminary Site Plan Approval by the Planning Commission or City Council, which will extend the review time to approximately 10-12 weeks. Or, city staff may determine that the project does not require preliminary approval at all and may be submitted directly for  building or grading permit review.

The Department of City Planning is responsible for the intake and processing of Administrative Preliminary Site Plans.  When plans are submitted to the City, a coordinating planner is assigned to manage the review.  Plans will be reviewed by a team of staff with expertise in Planning, Transportation, Zoning, Zoning Enforcement,  Urban Design, Comprehensive Planning, Transit, Stormwater, Public Utilities, Fire, Forestry and Greenways.  Additional staff may be utilized depending upon the type and location of the project. 

Upon completion of the review, the coordinating planner will send review comments to the client, designer or project coordinator and the property owner in the form of email correspondence.  The client is required to address each of the staff comments in writing and re-submit a set of revised plans for review.  Staff will review the plans in accordance with the regulations of City Code Part 10 Chapters 2 and 3 (Planning and Development) as well as the policies, procedures and regulations adopted in the Comprehensive Plan, Public Utilities Handbook, Public Works Streets, Sidewalk and Driveway Access Manual, Stormwater Manual and the Solid Waste Handbook.

When all plan review comments have satisfactorily been addressed by the client, the coordinating planner will prepare a staff report for final review by the Planning Manager of the Current Planning Services Division and final signature by the Planning Director.  Upon a decision by the Planning Director, a letter of decision will be sent to the client which will list the official action on the Preliminary Site Plan and any conditions of approval. The Administrative Preliminary Site Plan approval process typically takes 8-10 weeks.  Client may not move to the next step toward obtaining permits or recording until the approval letter is received and all conditions of approval are met.

Summary of the Types of Plans that Require Administrative Preliminary Site Plan Approval:


*Planning Commission approval  is required for the following:  Residential Developments exceeding (15 dwelling units per acre in O&I-1, O&I-2; Shopping Center zone; or Thoroughfare District zone exceeding (20) dwelling units per acre.

If your plan requires Planning Commission approval:

  • A date will be assigned to attend the required Development Review Committee  meeting where the plans will be evaluated in regards to aesthetics 
  • It is recommended that you attend your local Citizen Advisory Council (CAC) meeting to discuss your project
  • The coordinating planner will assign a date for the client to attend the Planning Commission Meeting at the end of the review cycle. The client is advised to reference the bottom of the review comments sheet to prepare for the Public Hearing and the Planning Commission Meeting  
  • After Planning Commission approves the plans, an approval letter will be sent.  This process typically take 10-12 weeks


Are there any prerequisites to this process?


How do I start the process?

  • Meet all prerequisites above
  • Complete submittal package (see below)
  • Submit the completed plan submittal package to the Department of City Planning at One Exchange Plaza, Suite 304, Raleigh NC 


What do I need to submit to the City?

Standard Submittal Package
  • Either a Preliminary Site Plan Application (.doc) or (.pdf ) or a Group Housing Application (.doc) or (.pdf) including checklist and associated requirements
  • Be sure to complete the check list found on the Group Housing Application
  • Ten (10) complete sets of plans as noted on the application form
  • Fee payment in the form of a check made payable to: City of Raleigh
  • Plan sets to include but not limited to: Existing conditions, proposed work, utilities, stormwater, tree conservation, landscape, proposed building elevations  and CD with pdfs
  • 8.5 x 11 separate stormwater manual - see application (8) Summary of Water Quality/Quantity calculations on sheet with a separate more detailed calculation packet included
  • If your property has been rezoned to a Conditional Use Zoning District within the last 15-20 years, please affix rezoning conditions to the front cover of the plans


Where can I find detailed information regarding submittals?

  • Preliminary Site Plan Application (.doc) or (.pdf)
  • Group Housing Application (.doc) or (.pdf)


Where do I submit my application?
Office:               City of Raleigh
Department:    City Planning
Location:          Front Desk (sign in your plans)
Address:          One Exchange Plaza, Suite 304, Raleigh, NC 27601
Adjacent to:     219 Fayetteville Street
Phone #:          (919) 516-2626
Hours:              8:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.


What are the keys to success?

  • Completely and accurately fill out either the Preliminary Site Plan Application (.doc) or (.pdf) or the Group Housing Application (.doc) or (.pdf)
  • Schedule a Pre-Submittal Conference to review issues that may come up in the formal review process
  • Select a single point of contact to represent the client to facilitate correspondence with the coordinating planner
  • Thoroughly review and confirm that the plans meet the applicable sections of City Code Part 10 Chapters 2 and 3 
  • Provide a thorough response to city staff comments when preparing re-submittals and specifically address each comment in writing


What fees are involved and when do I pay them? 

  • Payment type accepted is check made payable to: City of Raleigh
  • Fee payments are delivered to the Department of City Planning located at One Exchange Plaza, Suite 304, Raleigh NC as part of the Submittal Package (see above) 
  • Initial fee includes two review cycles (original review and one re-review).  If additional re-reviews are required, additional fees will be required at the time plans are re-submitted for review


How long will this process take?

  • Each review cycle takes approximately 10-15 business days (dependent upon the complexity of the project and client’s thorough response to prior plan review comments). Plan review comments are typically sent to the client on Wednesdays via email
  • The typical administrative approval process takes approximately 8-10 weeks 
  • If Planning Commission or City Council approval is required, the approval process takes approximately 10-12 weeks


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For More Information Contact:
Eric Hodge
 Planner II
Planning Department
One Exchange Plaza, Suite 304
Raleigh, NC 27602
919-516-2639