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City staff describe how Bellaire measures lot coverage during permitting
Summary
City planner Monique Alejos explained how Bellaire Development Services calculates lot coverage using site plans and Bluebeam, outlined which surfaces count toward impervious area, and said final as‑built surveys are required for projects with engineered drainage designs.
Monique Alejos, planner with Bellaire Development Services, explained the department's step-by-step process for verifying lot coverage during permitting and at project completion. "We do this through the permitting process and, during the final paperwork process, when the homeowners are trying to get their certificate," she said, describing how staff confirm plan measurements against as‑built surveys.
Alejos defined what the city counts as impervious under Chapter 24, noting that driveways, concrete pads, sidewalks, pools and other constructed surfaces are measured, while the "water surface of a swimming pool or spa does not actually count towards impervious coverage." She added that some surfaces — uncovered wood decks and loosely graveled walkways — are counted at 50% under current practice.
The planner described the technical workflow: staff set the scale on a submitted site plan in Bluebeam, measure impervious areas piecemeal (house footprint, driveway, stairs, pads, pool equipment) and compare those measurements with the builder's coverage breakdown. "With Bluebeam, staff is able to calculate precise lengths, areas, and perimeters directly from digital scale drawings," she said, showing an example where staff measured 49% impervious while the builder's plan listed 48.24%.
Alejos said projects that require a new engineered drainage design must submit an as‑built survey as part of final paperwork, which typically includes spot elevations and an engineer's letter. For smaller changes, staff may rely on scaled drawings or aerial imagery for preliminary review but will require verified documentation when drainage design is involved. "So at the end of the process, you still have a process where you determine what the lot coverage is," she said.
The commission discussed which body should consider code changes that would alter definitions or counting rules. Staff and commissioners agreed that changes to Chapter 24 definitions would require Planning & Zoning review and formal public hearings; the Building Standards Commission can draft recommendation letters to Planning & Zoning or City Council to prompt review.
Alejos encouraged commissioners and the public to request records if they want to review lot-coverage calculations for specific properties; staff confirmed those records are available on request. The presentation concluded with guidance that proposed definitional changes should be bundled and coordinated across Chapters 9 and 24 to avoid piecemeal revisions.
