# Snellville Says You Can Draw Your Own House Location Plan — Here's Exactly What It Has to Show
Snellville's Planning and Development Department is clear about this: the House Location Plan for a residential permit does not need to come from a licensed surveyor or engineer. The individual proposing the improvements can draw it. That's more flexibility than most Georgia cities offer — and it means your permit process doesn't start with a \$800 survey bill.
What it does start with is a drawing that covers everything on the list below. "Drawn by the homeowner" doesn't mean "anything goes." The plan needs to show lot boundaries, the existing home and driveway, easements, streams, buffers, and exactly where you're putting the proposed structure. Miss any of those elements and your application comes back incomplete.
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Does Your Snellville Project Need a Permit?
| Project | Permit Required? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Shed under 120 sq ft | No | Gwinnett County exemption applies in Snellville |
| Shed 120 sq ft and over | Yes | House Location Plan required |
| Deck | Yes | House Location Plan required |
| Fence | Verify with dept | Depends on height and location |
| Pool | Yes | House Location Plan + barrier plan required |
| Garage (detached) | Yes | House Location Plan required |
| Addition | Yes | House Location Plan required |
| Patio (covered) | Verify with dept | Call (770) 985-3509 |
| Land disturbance permit | Yes + pre-submittal conference | Pre-submittal is mandatory before submission |
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Who Runs Into This in Snellville
The homeowner who wants to build a 12×12 deck. That's 144 square feet — over the shed exemption threshold, and decks always need a permit regardless of size. The House Location Plan needs to show the deck's footprint relative to all property lines, with measured setback distances on all sides.
The contractor who starts grading before calling the city. Any development or land disturbance plan requires a pre-submittal conference with Snellville's Planning and Development Department before you can submit. Skipping that meeting means your application won't be accepted — not rejected, not reviewed, just not processed. Call first.
The backyard pool project. Pools require both a House Location Plan showing the pool location and setbacks, and documentation on the barrier enclosure (fence, wall, or self-latching gate system). Getting both pieces together before submission avoids the most common pool-permit correction cycle.
The investor building a storage unit for rental property. Sheds on rental properties are still subject to permit requirements if they exceed 120 square feet. A quick call to confirm the size threshold and any zoning overlay rules for your specific address saves time.
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What Your Snellville House Location Plan Must Include
| Element | What to Show |
|---|---|
| Lot boundaries | All property lines with accurate dimensions |
| Existing home | Footprint location on the lot |
| Driveway | Access location |
| Easements | Utility and drainage easements — labeled |
| Streams and buffers | Any natural water features and required buffer setbacks |
| Proposed structure | Precise location on the lot with dimensions |
| Setbacks | Measured distances from proposed structure to all property lines |
| North arrow | Required |
| Scale | Stated in title block — no smaller than 1″=100′ for development plans |
| Title block | Property address, owner name, preparer, date |
For development permits: Three (3) complete sets of site plans required. Sheet size: no larger than 48″ × 36″.
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Snellville Setbacks
| Yard | Typical Range |
|---|---|
| Front yard | 20 – 50 ft (varies by district) |
| Side yard | 5 – 10 ft |
| Rear yard | 15 – 30 ft |
| Accessory structures | 5 ft minimum from all property lines |
Snellville has its own zoning code layered on Gwinnett County's base rules. Always verify your specific zoning district with Planning and Development before drawing setback lines. Stream buffers add an additional constraint that doesn't appear in standard setback tables — if your lot has a stream or drainage feature, that buffer zone limits where structures can go regardless of the district setback.
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Project-by-Project Requirements
| Project | What to Show | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| Shed (120+ sq ft) | Property lines, shed footprint, setbacks from all sides | Under 120 sq ft: no permit |
| Deck | Property lines, deck footprint, height above grade, setbacks | Always requires permit |
| Fence | Property lines, fence line, height, setbacks | Verify permit requirement with dept |
| Pool | Property lines, pool location, barrier dimensions, setbacks | Permit + barrier plan required |
| Garage | Property lines, garage footprint, driveway, setbacks | Permit required |
| Addition | Existing house + addition footprints, setbacks | Permit required |
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Pre-Submittal Conference — Don't Skip This
For any development or land disturbance permit (grading, drainage, significant site work), Snellville requires a pre-submittal conference with the Planning and Development Department before you can submit your application. This isn't a courtesy call — if you submit without completing the conference, the application is not accepted.
Standard residential permits (shed, deck, fence, pool) typically don't require a pre-submittal conference. But if your project involves site grading, land clearing over a certain area, or any work adjacent to a stream buffer, confirm with the department whether the conference applies to your specific project.
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How the Site Plan Creator Handles Snellville Plans
- Enter your Snellville address. Gwinnett County parcel data loads — property lines, bearings, and dimensions populate automatically.
- Confirm your lot boundary. Cross-reference with your deed or Gwinnett County GIS. Note any streams or drainage features that don't appear in parcel data.
- Place your proposed structure. Setback lines generate automatically. Verify that no streams or easements are between the structure and the property line.
- Label streams and buffers. If a stream runs through or adjacent to your lot, add the buffer distance as an annotation layer.
- Export your PDF. A scaled, title-blocked plan ready for Snellville Planning and Development. For development permits, print three copies at sheet sizes up to 48″ × 36″.
See how to edit your title sheet to customize the preparer and project fields.
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What This Doesn't Replace
The site plan creator generates preliminary, conceptual drawings where Snellville allows homeowner-prepared House Location Plans. It is not a licensed land survey, a sealed engineering drawing, or a certified boundary determination. For projects requiring stream buffer analysis, land disturbance certification, or licensed professional involvement, those must be engaged independently. Final permit approval is at the sole discretion of Snellville's Planning and Development Department.
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Local Resources
- City of Snellville Planning & Development — (770) 985-3509
- Gwinnett County GIS
- Georgia DCA State Building Codes
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Nearby Cities in Gwinnett
- Lawrenceville, GA site plan
- Sugar Hill, GA site plan
- Duluth, GA site plan
- Dacula, GA site plan
- Norcross, GA site plan
County overview: Gwinnett County permit site plan requirements.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. Does the Snellville House Location Plan need to be done by a surveyor?
No. Snellville explicitly states the House Location Plan may be prepared by the individual proposing the improvements. No registered surveyor or engineer is required for standard residential projects.
2. What is the shed exemption in Snellville?
Sheds under 120 square feet are exempt from building permits under Gwinnett County's rules, which apply inside Snellville city limits. Sheds at or above 120 square feet require a permit and a House Location Plan. The exemption applies to the building permit only — zoning setback rules still apply to exempt structures.
3. Do I need a pre-submittal conference for a deck permit?
Not typically. Pre-submittal conferences are required for development and land disturbance permits. Standard residential permits like decks, sheds, and pools generally don't require the conference — but verify with Planning and Development at (770) 985-3509 for your specific project.
4. How many plan sets does Snellville require?
Development permits require 3 sets of complete site plans. For standard residential building permits (deck, shed, pool), confirm the required number of sets with the Building Department — typically one to two sets are needed.
5. What scale is required for Snellville site plans?
For development permits, plans must be drawn at a horizontal scale of no less than 100 feet to 1 inch (1″=100′). For standard residential House Location Plans, draw to a scale that clearly shows all required elements — state the scale in the title block.
6. Are streams and buffers always required on a Snellville site plan?
Yes, if they exist on or adjacent to your lot. All streams, natural water features, and required buffer distances must appear on the House Location Plan. If your lot has no stream or drainage feature, note the absence in the plan notes.
7. How long does plan review take in Snellville?
Plan review for residential projects typically takes less than two weeks. Development permit reviews with the $500 per-review fee may take longer. Submit a complete application on the first pass to avoid restarting the review clock.
8. Can a contractor pull the Snellville permit on my behalf?
Yes. Licensed Georgia contractors can submit permit applications on behalf of property owners. Owner-builders can also pull their own permits. Either way, the House Location Plan requirement applies and must be met at submission.
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Draw Your Snellville House Location Plan — No Surveyor Required
You can draw it yourself — Snellville says so. Enter your address, let Gwinnett County parcel data generate your lot boundaries, place your proposed structure, label your setbacks and buffer distances, and export a PDF ready for Planning and Development. First plan is free.
Start My Snellville Site Plan →
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