🎓 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
LAYFRZorVP Freezefor annotations shown in one viewport only
- Use
🟣 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.ctbor 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.