Civil Engineering Plan Submittal Process

Fredville's Engineering Department reviews and releases for construction every new construction and reconstruction project inside the city limits and in the city's extraterritorial jurisdiction (ETJ). The department also works with developers and engineers of record to make sure all public improvements are designed to the city's current specifications.

A step-by-step guide, Civil Engineering Plan Submittal Process (PDF), walks developers and engineers through each step of submitting civil plans to the city and meeting the requirements for approval. This review is separate from Building Inspections submittals and from submittals to any other department.

Beyond the items listed on this page, the Engineering Department may ask for any additional information it needs to finish reviewing a particular development project.

Each section below covers one part of the submittal process.

Schedule a Pre-Application Meeting

This optional meeting is an early, informal conversation between an applicant and city staff. It helps the applicant put together a development application for the Planning Division and can bring to light major issues the project might face once it is submitted. Although not required, it is recommended for anyone submitting a site plan or a specific use permit.

These meetings are in high demand and are currently booked several weeks out, so plan ahead.

Every required development application must be filed with the city before construction plan review can begin. With questions, the Planning Division can be reached at (555) 010-8724.

Obtain Record Drawings

Record drawings for all existing improvements must be obtained and reviewed by the engineer of record or another licensed professional, who must also confirm paving and underground utility information in, next to and connected with the project area. The Engineering Department can provide record drawings; contact the engineering records staff at [email protected]. Related maps and data are on the topographic maps, LiDAR data and record drawings page.

Obtain and Review Design Manuals

It is the engineer of record's job to obtain and review every applicable City of Fredville design manual and related document, along with any federal, state and local documents that apply to the specific project.

  • Wastewater criteria
  • Drainage design manual
  • Standard detail sheets and general notes for private development

Civil Engineering Plan Contents

Every civil engineering plan and supporting report submitted for review must be prepared by, or directly supervised by, a Texas-licensed Professional Engineer and must carry the engineer of record's seal. Along with the site-specific civil sheets required by the subdivision and utilities, drainage and floodplain articles of the Unified Development Code (UDC) (PDFs), each plan set must include these sheets:

  • Cover sheet
  • General notes and a sheet index
  • Plat (recorded, or the pending version)
  • Right-of-way strip map, where it applies
  • Dimensional control plan
  • Paving
  • Grading
  • Drainage and detention
  • Utilities
  • Lighting
  • Erosion control plan
  • Landscaping for any required detention
  • City standard detail sheets
  • Site-specific detail sheets
  • City standard testing notes

Every project must be tied to the datums used by the city's GPS monuments: Texas State Plane NAD83, North Central Zone, in U.S. survey feet for horizontal control, and NAVD88 for vertical control. State the datums on the dimensional control plan and, if you used surface coordinates, give the scale factor from grid to surface. Clearly show and label the local survey control points on the plans with their northing, easting and elevation (Z) values.

All work and materials must conform to Fredville's Construction Standards and Specifications as well as the public works construction standards of the regional council of governments. Where the two conflict, the city's standards govern. If the city's standards do not address an item, use the latest edition of the regional standards. Any other document cited in the project specifications refers to its most recent edition and brings that specification in as a whole.

  • If civil plans are submitted before the site plan or plat is approved, the plans may have to be revised to reflect the conditions of that approval.
  • Since October 2017, any project that interrupts traffic on an existing roadway or closes a shoulder or alley must include a detailed traffic control plan prepared under the Texas MUTCD (the state's manual on uniform traffic control devices). Send it to the Transportation Services department, which must release it before the Public Works Construction permit can be released. See traffic control plans.
  • Projects that need off-site extensions of public utilities may qualify, at the city's option, for pro-rata reimbursement or impact fee credits under the fee schedule in the UDC (PDF), consistent with the UDC's subdivision and utilities article (PDF).
  • The developer is responsible for setting up any pro-rata before the project is completed and accepted.
  • Off-site easements (easements by separate instrument): every such easement needed to build the improvements in the construction drawings must go to the city for review before it is filed with the county and before construction is released. All off-site easements must be signed before a construction permit is released.

The engineer of record should make every effort to submit civil plans that are complete and easy to follow. Clear, concise plans speed up review and help prevent delays once construction starts.

Submit Civil Engineering Plans for Review

Civil engineering plans must be submitted electronically through the city's online development services portal. Paper plan sets are not accepted.

Step-by-step online submittal instructions

1. Finish Floodplain, Earthwork and SWP3 Permits

Where they apply, the following permit applications should go to the city's Stormwater Inspections group before the city releases the civil plans:

2. Secure Easements and Outside Permits

Before civil plans are released, the city asks that any agreements with other agencies or property owners needed for the development be finalized. This lowers the chance that construction starts without approval from everyone affected.

Permits and agreements the city typically asks for before release include:

  • TxDOT permits for utility installation or for pavement and storm connections, following the permit process of the TxDOT Dallas District or Fort Worth District (PDFs)
  • U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Section 404 permit
  • Point-of-entry permit from the regional river authority
  • Property easements

Send copies of these permits to the city for review and for its records.

3. Civil Engineering Plan Release

After the city's markups have been addressed or resolved, staff will let the design engineer know that the developer should sign its part of the city release stamp on the cover sheet. The engineer of record must also seal, sign and date the cover sheet. At that point, staff will assign a City File number. This is not the same as the X number; it usually starts with P-, SD-, W- or SS- followed by digits, such as "P-1234." Put the City File number near the lower right corner of every sheet. On the cover sheet, it normally appears in two places.

Staff release plans based on general compliance only. A release does not approve or guarantee the design, and it does not excuse the owner or developer from correcting anything found during construction that is needed to meet federal, state or city ordinances and standards. To keep public improvements consistent, use the City Standard Details in effect when the Public Works construction permit is released.

4. Request a Pre-Construction Meeting

When city staff have signed the cover sheet, the chosen contractor can schedule a pre-construction meeting with Engineering staff. This meeting is required for any project with public improvements, meaning facilities the City of Fredville will eventually own and maintain.

Pre-construction meetings take place online through Microsoft Teams on Thursdays, with start times of 1:30 or 2:30 in the afternoon.

Schedule a pre-construction meeting

5. Apply for Public Works Construction Permits and Submit a Traffic Control Plan

Once the pre-construction meeting is on the calendar, submit these applications so staff can review them before the meeting:

After staff receive the required applications and the pre-construction meeting has taken place, staff issue the permit and release the project for construction.

Questions? Contact the development construction coordinator at [email protected].

Onsite During Construction

Each contractor and subcontractor must have the Final Submittal on site, together with the Public Works Construction Permit and its supporting paperwork. Keep at least one copy of each of these on site at all times: the city's clearing, grubbing and earthwork permit, the SWPPP, the NOI and any required TxDOT permits.

6. Project Closure

When stabilization thresholds have been reached and all erosion control best management practices (BMPs) for the project have been removed, the developer or contractor must confirm that the project is complete and provide the city with the Notice of Termination (NOT) filed for the SWP3. The Stormwater Department or its designee will then sign off on the final checklist.

For details on submitting record drawings and receiving final acceptance, see Final Project Acceptance.

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