During the civil engineering site design process, BCE develops a specific solution that will bring your project to
completion, including addressing zoning/rezoning needs and securing required permits. Because of the quality of our
designs and our strong relationships with various permitting and zoning authorities, BCE has earned a highly
successful track record securing the following types of permits for its clients:
- Natural Resource Protection Act (NRPA) with the State of Maine Department of Environmental Protection (MDEP)
- Site Location of Development and Stormwater Management Permitting with MDEP
- State of Maine Department of Transportation - TMP, Entrance Permits, Highway Opening
- United States Army Corps of Engineers
- Municipal Site Plan, Subdivision Plan, Shoreland Zoning, and Rezoning
Development projects also typically include items such as an environmental impact assessment, a
subsurface/geotechnical evaluation, a stormwater management plan, and a wetlands delineation. In addition to
working closely with the project's architect, structural engineer, and contractor, BCE works with each of these
disciplines to effectively and efficiently address these areas of concern as they relate to our civil
engineering expertise and design solution.
Plans developed from this process include design plans for permitting and design plans for bidding/construction.
Produced plans almost always include the following elements:
- Grading & Drainage Design. Site grading and drainage design is an essential element of the land development
process that provides the layout for various entities while ensuring safety and the proper flow of water. This
element takes into account roadway and parking lot slopes, building pad elevations, and surface water flow to name a
few. The existing grade of a site is important to assess in the early stages of a project in order to develop a
site properly while ensuing value engineering and cost savings during construction. For example, a poorly planned
site may need to pump water and/or sewer, adding a great expense to your project. All buildings require approved
grading plans in order to proceed with construction.
- Erosion and Sediment Control Design. Erosion and Sedimentation (E&S) control designs prevent hazardous and
unwanted erosion on construction sites, where land is disturbed. E&S control is a concern throughout a construction
project and must be carefully planned to ensure all regulations are met. The size and scope of the project define
what E&S controls and permitting will be required. These requirements change slightly based on the Municipality and
County where the project lives, different size projects may have their own requirements. Based on BCE's expertise
and deep experience, we will likely be in position to devise means and methods that can save you thousands of
dollars in construction costs alone.
- Utility Layout. Utility layouts show the system details of utilities such as water, sewer, gas, and electric
lines. They can show both existing and proposed underground lines, the locations of buildings, driveways, and
parking areas on the property, and the demand of each utility, among many other details. Utility planning involves
many outside agencies, this is one major aspect where the communication skills of BCE is critically important.
- Stormwater Management Design. Stormwater management is handled by engineers who propose, design, and supervise the
stormwater systems of a construction project. We ensure drainage and stormwater management systems are appropriately
implemented while safeguarding you and your neighbors from potential flooding caused by increased impervious areas. Impervious areas are features that do not allow water to penetrate them, such as buildings, asphalt roads, concrete
sidewalks, etc. Stormwater infiltration is one aspect of stormwater management that specifically deals with how
water re-enters the soil and feeds back into streams, lakes, and other natural waterways. This project phase allows
you to explore using unconventional building materials such as pervious paving, which enables you to reduce your
impervious surface footprint and the size of your stormwater management requirements.
- Landscape/Streetscape Design. Landscape and/or streetscape elements focus on the analysis, planning, design, and
management of both natural and constructed environments. Typically, major projects have this aspect as part of the
Municipal requirements for set minimums and can be handled directly by your engineer. However, depending on client
needs and vision, a landscape architect can be sourced for added expertise as they work closely with civil engineers
throughout the site design and planning processes.
