PE-licensed since 2007. Fast-track land disturbance permits for Atlanta residential subdivisions and light commercial sites.

Civil Feasibility Study Before You Buy Land in Metro Atlanta

A parcel can have the right zoning and still not work. Stream buffers, stormwater, utilities, slopes, and the permit path decide how many lots or parking spaces you actually get, and what it costs to build them. A civil feasibility study finds those limits before you close, while you can still renegotiate or walk away. This page explains what one covers, what you get, and how Greg Scotchie, P.E., runs it.

Why good-looking land still fails

Zoning tells you what's allowed. The site's civil constraints tell you what's buildable. Buffers and floodplain can take usable acreage off the table. Stormwater ponds can take the space you planned for lots. A missing sewer connection can change the whole budget.

Site constraints and local, state, and federal rules can keep an investment from working. A feasibility study shows you how much of the land is usable and gives you a clearer picture of development costs before you commit.

What a civil feasibility study is, and what it isn't

It's engineering due diligence. It looks at site constraints, utilities, stormwater, buffers, rough yield, and the permit path.

It isn't an appraisal, a Phase I environmental site assessment, a full survey, a title opinion, or legal advice. It also doesn't replace a survey or a geotechnical report. It tells you whether you need them and what to look for.

The best time to order one is before you make an offer, during your due diligence period, or before you spend real money on entitlements.

What the engineer checks

Jurisdiction and permit path

The first question is who has jurisdiction. The same street can be in a city on one side and unincorporated county on the other, and each has its own land disturbance permit (LDP) rules. For example, unincorporated Cobb County issues three types of LDP (Clearing Only, Grading Only, and Full Site), while Sandy Springs issues its own permits and generally requires one when 1,000 square feet or more is disturbed.

The study also looks at whether you'll likely need coverage under Georgia's state construction stormwater permit and an erosion, sedimentation, and pollution control (ES&PC) plan. That usually depends on how much land you disturb.

Usable acreage and what shrinks it

• State waters buffers and local stream buffers. Widths vary by jurisdiction, so we confirm them against the current ordinance. A buffer variance is a separate technical process, and it's never guaranteed.

• Floodplain and wetlands. If the site shows warning signs, the study says what further study is needed rather than guessing at a conclusion.

• Steep slopes, rock, access problems, and encroachments.

Stormwater and site yield

Detention, retention, and runoff reduction all take land, and that land usually comes out of lots or parking. An early look at hydrology tells you how much before you set a price for the land. The sealed stormwater report comes later with the LDP. At the feasibility stage it's a concept, not a full design, unless you scope it that way.

Utilities and access

• Whether water and sewer are available, and which provider will review the plans

• Septic limits if the site has no sewer

• Driveway, right-of-way, and transportation constraints, which vary by local manual

We confirm the utility provider for your specific parcel rather than assuming it.

Cost and schedule risk

The study names the kinds of cost risk on your site, such as grading that needs large retaining walls, sewer that has to be extended from off site, or a buffer that may need a variance. It doesn't give you a made-up cost table or a guaranteed timeline. Where permit fees matter, we point you to the jurisdiction's current fee schedule.

What you get

• A written memo with marked-up exhibits showing the site constraints

• A discussion of usable area and likely yield

• A summary of the permit path, covering the LDP, the ES&PC plan and state permit coverage, and any other agencies involved

• Recommended next steps, such as a boundary and topographic survey, a geotechnical report, or full site design

• If you want it, a go or no-go view measured against your plan for the site

From feasibility to permit with the same engineer

At Scotchie Civil Engineering, the engineer who does your feasibility study is the one who designs and permits the site. Greg writes the proposal, builds the Civil 3D model, seals the stormwater design, and answers the county reviewer. Nobody has to learn your site over again after a handoff.

The typical LDP plan set that follows includes a site plan, grading, utilities, a stormwater report, and ES&PC plans. To see what comes after you buy, read our Cobb County land disturbance permit guide (link to /cobb-county-land-disturbance-permit).

Frequently asked questions

How is a civil feasibility study different from a real estate due diligence checklist?

A general checklist tells you what to ask about. A civil feasibility study answers the engineering questions: how much land is usable, how much stormwater and buffers take, whether utilities are available, and which permits you'll need.

How early should I hire an engineer?

Before you make an offer if you can, and no later than your due diligence period. Once that period ends, you've lost most of your leverage.

Can you tell me the exact lot count before a survey?

No. Without a survey, yield is an estimate based on available data. The study tells you how confident that estimate is and what survey work would firm it up.

Will you guarantee the county will approve an LDP?

No engineer can guarantee a reviewer's decision. The study tells you the likely permit path and the risks, so you're not surprised later.

What areas do you cover?

Cobb, Fulton, Gwinnett, Cherokee, Forsyth, and DeKalb counties, plus Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Clarkston, and Stone Mountain.

What happens if the study finds a problem that kills the deal?

Then it did its job. You'll know before you close, while you can still renegotiate, restructure, or walk away.

Under contract on Metro Atlanta land?

Before your due diligence period runs out, ask Greg Scotchie, P.E., for a civil feasibility scope. It focuses on usable acreage, stormwater and buffer risk, and the likely permit path. Call 404-426-2868 or email greg@scotchiecivilengineering.com.

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