🎓 Lesson 2-20: Project: Annotated Site Plan

Combine drawing, annotation, layout, and printing skills to complete a professional site plan.

📚 What You’ll Learn

By the end of this lesson, you’ll be able to:

Draft and annotate a small site plan using professional CAD standards
Apply annotation tools: text, dimensions, multileaders, hatching, and tables
Set up viewports and control layer visibility per viewport
Prepare a layout with a title block, sheet name, and scale
Plot a clean, readable PDF or printed copy using a template

🧰 Tools You’ll Use

Tool / Feature	Description
Layers	Organize linework and annotations for clear visual hierarchy
Annotation Tools	Add dimensions, multileaders, and text for labeling and notes
HATCH	Represent surfaces like grass, concrete, and pavement
TABLE & FIELD	Add tabular data linked to object properties
Layout & Viewports	Present plan at scale with title blocks and annotations
Plot / Page Setup	Configure printable output using styles and PDF drivers

❗ Why It Matters

This capstone-style project brings together multiple skills you’ve developed throughout the course:

✅ Drafting accuracy
✅ Layer and object management
✅ Clear, standardized annotation
✅ Scalable layout presentation
✅ Print-ready documentation

You’ll simulate a real-world workflow used by architects, civil engineers, and planners to present plans for construction or approval.

🏗️ Project Overview

You will be provided with or create a basic site plan that includes:

A main building footprint
Driveway and parking
Sidewalks or landscaped areas
Property boundaries and dimensions
North arrow and scale bar

You’ll then annotate and format it using the tools learned.

✍️ Step-by-Step Instructions

🟢 Step 1: Draft or Import a Basic Site Plan

If not provided, draw a simple layout including:

Property boundary (use closed polyline)
Building footprint (rectangle or polyline)
Sidewalks, parking, driveway (lines or hatches)
Trees or features (blocks or circles)

Place linework on appropriate layers.

🟠 Step 2: Add Annotation

Apply professional annotation throughout:

Task	Tools Used
Add street names or notes	MTEXT with annotation scale
Label property dimensions	DIMLINEAR, DIMCONTINUE, DIMALIGNED
Add leader callouts for items	MULTILEADER (ML) tool
Show surface types	HATCH with different patterns
Display lot area	FIELD linked to polyline area

Ensure text and dimensions scale properly across viewports.

🔵 Step 3: Create and Set Up Layout Tab

Open a Layout tab
Insert or use a title block
Create viewport(s) using MV (MVIEW command)
Set scale (e.g., 1”=20’ or 1:100)
Lock viewport scale
Adjust viewport layer visibility as needed
- Use LAYFRZ or VP Freeze for annotations shown in one viewport only

🟣 Step 4: Final Touches

Add a north arrow and scale bar
Insert a table summarizing property data or material areas
Check lineweights and plot styles using a monochrome.ctb or company standard
Review layout visually for clarity, contrast, and legibility

✅ Practice Checklist

Task	Completed?
Site plan drafted or imported	☐
Dimensions and multileaders added	☐
Hatch applied for surface types	☐
Title block inserted in Layout	☐
Viewports scaled and locked	☐
North arrow and scale bar inserted	☐
Table or field added (area or summary)	☐
Final drawing plotted to PDF	☐

🛠️ Best Practices

Tip	Why It Helps
Use consistent text styles	Ensures legibility and a professional appearance
Freeze unnecessary layers per viewport	Improves layout clarity
Label all major features clearly	Enhances communication with clients or reviewers
Preview plot before exporting	Avoids errors and unexpected results

📌 Quick Review

Feature	Purpose
Annotative Text	Ensures proper text size across scaled viewports
HATCH Tool	Adds visual distinction for surfaces and materials
Layout Viewports	Controls how model space appears on printed sheets
Fields & Tables	Automates data like lot area or material quantities
Plotting	Exports to PDF or prints with proper scaling and layers

🎓 Final Thoughts

Completing this project means you now understand how to move from raw geometry to a professionally annotated, scaled, and plotted drawing—a vital skill in CAD-based design fields.