Creating a subdivision with Chief Premier

[Evolution]

I've been away from this forum for quite some time although still using Chief Architect Premier. I'm semi-retired (now) but currently helping my BIL and SIL in their land development company endeavors.   I'm definitely not a Autodesk cad civil or architectural person. Strictly self-taught / using CA  (12 being my last version used). So to expedite helping them cut to the chase presenting preliminary site plans to the local zoning boards, (local CE's are backed up for years not months) to speed up the submittal process to the zoning boards, I suggested we give CA a try. I know CA is built for the architectural design environment and not civil and just from my experience does not lend itself well for creating multi-lot subdivisions of say 50 lots or less so if it is possible to use the CA CAD tools to layout a subdivison for preliminary design is it possible and how would you achieve for example setting up a scale to use for laying out a small subdivision at a scale of say 1"=200' (the scale that jurisdiction require preliminary (sketch plans they're called) to be prepared at.)  We aren't required in the preliminary submission to have the infra structure figure out, just the basics, lots, sizes, road-rights of way etc. I can download a GIS of the land partial from the county's survey and if I can somehow plot the overall boundaries of that plot I can overlay and scale it to use as the starting point for the subdivision preliminary design in CA. These GIS maps don't have the line bearings but do have the bounding dimensions, and I would think from there using the cad lines default set to draw the bearing / dimensions laying out the lot lines, streets and easements would be possible. Any suggestions / advise aside from learning Autodesk 3D Civil etc.? Thanks in advance. 

Edited yesterday at 03:11 PM by Evolution

[SHCanada2]

I would draw to scale in 2D using CA CAD tools. I've drawn quarter sections (160 acre) plot plans before, just by having them overlay on the floor plan. I then send them to layout at different scales, so it can also be seen zoomed in a particular parcels/region

[Evolution]

1 hour ago, SHCanada2 said:

I would draw to scale in 2D using CA CAD tools. I've drawn quarter sections (160 acre) plot plans before, just by having them overlay on the floor plan. I then send them to layout at different scales, so it can also be seen zoomed in a particular parcels/region

I have reset the default cad line to show bearing in degrees and minutes, and the line length in decimal feet however I have not been able so far, to reset the drawing scale from it's current default to the scale I need which is 1"=200'. 1"=50' for this plot would likely work as well.

[SHCanada2]

9 hours ago, Evolution said:

I have reset the default cad line to show bearing in degrees and minutes, and the line length in decimal feet however I have not been able so far, to reset the drawing scale from it's current default to the scale I need which is 1"=200'. 1"=50' for this plot would likely work as well.

 

I'm not sure I understand. If you draw it on your plan view, you can send it to layout at whatever scale you would like.

 

I do something similar to this:

Trace a Terrain Lot Image to Create a Site Plan or Terrain Perimeter - Video | Chief Architect

 

and then I put different things on 2 different layers if I have two different scales in layout. One layout box(typically 1:500 or 1:1000)  is set to one layerset, and the other layout box (typically 1:100) is set to the other layerset. The result on layout is:

 

 

Edited 18 hours ago by SHCanada2

[JiAngelo]

The county GIS maps, if you are downloading them in dxf format contain the bearing and distance informations in the lines themselves.  Turn on distance and angles for each line and set cad to decimal feet and quadrant bearings.

 

Like @SHCanada2 said in Chief you draw real world dimensions.  The send to layout whatever scale you desire.

 

Here's a 34 lot subdivision I drew in Chief.

The engineer and I traded dxf files back and forth during the course of construction.  So now Chief includes all the sewer, water, gas lines.  I was even able to get dxfs from the electrical company for all their transformers and conductor line routes.

 

[SHCanada2]

21 minutes ago, JiAngelo said:

Here's a 34 lot subdivision I drew in Chie

I like how you did the shading to still show through some of the satellite image for the parcels. Normally I just show the lot outline...which is not as pretty and less readable than yours:

 

 

learn something new every day..

Edited 17 hours ago by SHCanada2