The short version. A site plan is a bird’s-eye drawing of a property. It shows the property lines, the buildings on the lot, and the distances between them. Municipalities use it to check a permit application against their bylaw. In Alberta, who may draw it depends on the job. For a new house, Edmonton, St. Albert, Strathcona County and Leduc County (on East Vistas lots) ask for a plan prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor. Edmonton lets the owner draw the site plan for a garage, shed or addition on a Real Property Report, plot plan or graph paper. Calgary lets you modify an RPR as the site plan for an addition.
What a site plan shows
A site plan shows a property from above, with everything on it located and measured. The City of Calgary defines it as a “‘bird’s eye’ 2-D representation of a property.” It includes “the location and dimensions of property lines, structures on the property, rights-of-way and other features unique to the property.”
Between them, the Edmonton, Calgary and Strathcona County checklists ask for:
- a north arrow, the municipal address and the legal description
- the property lines, with their dimensions
- the streets and lanes next to the lot
- existing and proposed buildings, with their distances to each property line
- easements, utility rights-of-way and restrictive covenants
- for a new building, geodetic elevations of grades, footing and main floor
Strathcona County’s Land Use Bylaw adds water courses, pipeline setbacks, and any abandoned, suspended or active oil or gas wells.
Site plan vs plot plan in Alberta
Outside permitting, the two terms are often used as synonyms. In Alberta permit documents, “plot plan” usually names the surveyor-prepared plot plan for a new house. “Site plan” covers both that drawing and the simpler sketch an owner draws for a garage or deck.
The wording varies by municipality:
- Edmonton asks for a “Plot Plan to be prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor” for a new house. For a garage or shed it asks for a “site plan” the owner can draw (new house and garage permit pages).
- St. Albert asks for “a site plan (surveyors plot plan) in metric with grade elevations” for a new home (City of St. Albert).
- Leduc County asks for a plot plan “prepared by a registered Alberta land surveyor” for houses in its East Vistas subdivision, plus a separate site plan checklist (Leduc County).
Read the term your municipality’s checklist uses, and check who it says may prepare the drawing.
Who has to prepare a site plan
The answer depends on the municipality and the project. This is what each one’s published requirements said on 9 October 2026:
| Municipality | New house | Garage, shed or addition |
|---|---|---|
| Edmonton | Plot plan prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor, 1:300 preferred | The owner may draw it on a Real Property Report, a plot plan or graph paper |
| Calgary | Dimensioned site plan to a professional drafting standard, with geodetic elevations. No surveyor requirement is stated. | For an addition, an RPR can be modified to serve as the site plan |
| St. Albert | Site plan (surveyor’s plot plan) in metric, with grade elevations | Not covered in the sources we checked |
| Strathcona County | Site plan prepared by an Alberta Land Surveyor | For an addition, the applicant’s plan may be accepted once checked against a survey or RPR |
| Leduc County (East Vistas) | Surveyor’s plot plan, plus an RPR after the foundation is poured | Not covered in the sources we checked |
Calgary’s 2019 house checklist asks for “plans prepared to professional drafting standards” (City of Calgary, 2019). It also asks for geodetic elevations for the roof peak, main floor and footing, which come from a survey.
Site plan example: Edmonton’s new-house plot plan
Edmonton’s list for a new house shows what a complete permit plot plan contains. The City asks for a plan by an Alberta Land Surveyor, preferably at 1:300 and at least 1:500 on legal-size paper. The required items include:
- the municipal address, legal description, north arrow, scale, date and zoning
- property lines and dimensions, and the streets and lane next to the lot
- easements, rights-of-way and restrictive covenants
- site depth and site width, measured the way the City defines them
- setbacks from each proposed building to every property line, and distances between buildings
- the closest distance to the lines from air conditioners, cantilevers, eaves, steps and other projections
- driveways, walkways and curb cuts, dimensioned from the property line
- geodetic elevations for finished grades, bottom of footings, top of foundation wall and the main floor
- City-owned trees, curb cuts, street furniture and other features in the boulevard
- site area and site coverage calculations
A new house in Edmonton also needs a separate Lot Grading Plan. Its design elevations are checked against measured grades when a lot grading certificate is surveyed.
Site plans for garages, sheds and additions
A smaller project needs a simpler plan, and in Edmonton the owner can draw it. For a detached garage, shed or gazebo, the City of Edmonton’s garage permit page asks for these items:
- a north arrow and the property address
- the streets and avenues next to the lot
- the dimensions of the property lines
- the location, size and setbacks of existing and proposed buildings
- any caveats, covenants and easements
- roof midpoint calculations
The City says to “draw on a real property report, plot plan, or graph paper,” in metres or feet as long as the units are consistent.
Home additions in Edmonton use the same kind of site plan. Their building drawings must be prepared by “a person skillful in technical drawing, draftsperson, or professional,” at 1:100 or larger (City of Edmonton). In Calgary, you can modify a Real Property Report to serve as the site plan for an addition (City of Calgary). Starting from a current RPR means the property lines and existing buildings are already surveyed.
Edmonton’s Site Plan Standards are for larger projects
Edmonton publishes a Site Plan Standards checklist, dated February 2026. It applies to “Non-Residential, Large Scale Residential (5+ Units), and Mixed Use developments.” It does not apply to a single house, garage or addition. Those follow the house permit and accessory building pages described above.
A site plan is not a Real Property Report
A site plan proposes what will be built. A Real Property Report certifies what exists on the date of the survey. Calgary treats them as different documents. For a compliance review, the City of Calgary states that “altered Real Property Reports, unclear plans and plot plans will not be accepted” (City of Calgary). Our explainer on what a Real Property Report is covers the difference in detail.
Getting a site plan prepared
For a new house, ask the surveyor for the plot plan your municipality names, with the elevations its checklist lists. We prepare plot plans for house permits and topographic surveys and site plans for design work across Alberta. Send us the legal description, the house plans and the municipality’s checklist, and we will tell you what the plan needs to show.
Technically reviewed by the ProtechGeo Principal Alberta Land Surveyor (ALS).
General information about Alberta surveying and permit requirements, not project-specific advice. Site-specific work requires a defined scope. Surveying services are provided in Alberta only. Municipal requirements are as published on 9 October 2026; check your municipality’s current checklist before you apply.
