What Land Development Engineering Involves

Land development projects almost always require a combination of the following services. The specific scope depends on your project type, location, and which regulatory agencies have jurisdiction.

Subdivision Design & Platting

If you're dividing a tract of land into two or more lots, you'll need a plat — and in most cases, you'll need a civil engineer to prepare the construction plans that support it. We prepare subdivision plats and supporting construction documents for projects in Waco, unincorporated McLennan County, and surrounding jurisdictions. This includes preliminary plat review coordination, final plat preparation, and the infrastructure plans required for approval. - If your asking what it cost to subdivide a property, check out our blog here: What Does It Cost to Subdivide Land in Waco, Texas?

Drainage Studies & Stormwater Analysis

Most jurisdictions in Central Texas require a drainage study before they'll approve a development permit. The study demonstrates that your project won't worsen flooding conditions for your neighbors, and it establishes the detention or conveyance requirements your design must meet. We prepare drainage studies using HEC-RAS and HEC-HMS modeling for projects ranging from single-lot commercial sites to multi-phase residential subdivisions. Check out our blog on drainage studies: What Is a Drainage Study and When Does Your Project Need One?

Floodplain Analysis & FEMA Coordination

When your project involves a mapped floodplain, we coordinate with the best floodplain specialists in Texas who handle LOMA, LOMR, and BFE determination applications routinely. Charlie Merritt's CFM certification means you have someone on your engineering team who understands the floodplain process and can keep it from becoming a bottleneck on your project

Grading & Earthwork Plans

Grading is where site engineering meets construction reality. We prepare grading plans that balance cut and fill where possible, manage drainage patterns, and meet the slope and accessibility requirements for your specific development type. On larger projects, we provide cut/fill quantity analysis to help control earthwork costs before you break ground.

Commercial & Industrial Site Plans

Commercial and industrial site plans require coordination across multiple engineering disciplines and multiple regulatory agencies. We prepare civil site plans that address grading, drainage, utility connections, parking, fire lane geometry, and access — and we coordinate with TxDOT, the City of Waco, and other local jurisdictions on driveway approvals and ROW permits as needed.

Water & Wastewater Design

Getting utility service to a development site in Central Texas often involves more engineering than property owners expect. We prepare water line and wastewater collection system designs for new developments, coordinate with municipal utilities on tap and meter requirements, and design on-site systems where public service is not available.

Stormwater Pollution Prevention Plans (SWPPPs)

Any construction project disturbing one acre or more requires a SWPPP and a Construction General Permit from TCEQ. We prepare SWPPPs and NOIs for land development projects throughout Texas and help clients understand their ongoing inspection and reporting obligations during construction.