Hi!
This is Suz Godfrey writing the blog today. I thought that I would write the blog since I am new in the land development business (Ronnie’s been doing it for years & years). I was simply amazed at the costs and studies involved to develop land and get approval from the City of Glen Rose. So here goes - hold onto your hats and calculators!
In an earlier blog, Ronnie wrote about getting the Preliminary Platt approved through Planning & Zoning (P&Z). Here is what we needed for the first of the four approvals (P&Z, City Council, P&Z, and City Council):
1. Engineering – this has to be done by a licensed engineer and costs about $2,500
3. Conceptual Floor Plans - gives a concept or idea of what the floor plans will be like
5. Deed Restrictions
As a result Ronnie spent many, many hours learning how to create the streetscape and plat with rooftops. Ronnie already draws his own floor plans so that was not a big hurdle. And he has experience writing deed restrictions. I contributed by coloring in the plat with rooftops using Photoshop. This was also a learning experience for me since I needed to make it transparent enough to be able to see the rooftop lines on the plat.
Then there was the $125 fee each time we had to appear before Planning & Zoning.
Ok, so we got approved through P&Z and City Hall. Then we went back to P&Z on June 18th for their second approval (which we got – but don’t forget the $125 P&Z notification fee). On July 9th we are scheduled to go to City Council for their second and final approval. That will make 4 approvals in all!
For the July 9th City Council meeting we will need the following studies done by a licensed engineer for about $12,000.
1. Drainage Study - determines where the rainfall will go
2. Utility Layout – determines where the sewer line & water line need to be installed
3. Road Cross-section – specs on the road
Let’s not forget the surveyor who initially surveyed the land and will do some of the preliminary work for the engineer reports at a cost of $3,000.
So as of our final approval, we will have spent $15,250 and we haven’t even done any physical work to the land – like putting in the street! Don’t forget this number could have been $23,250 had we hired the professional to do our streetscape and floor plans!
Ok, so once we actually put in the street, here is the breakdown of those costs:
1. Road work - $50,000 to put in the actual road which will only be about 200 feet long with a 100 foot long cul-de-sac
2. Dirt work - $2,000 to fill in some uneven spots in the land
3. Utilities –$20,000 to bring the water and sewer lines to each lot
Putting in the road and utilities will cost about $72,000. So altogether the cost to develop the land that will have only 10 lots will cost $87,250! This does NOT include the price of the land or putting in sidewalks (which is done at the time the house is built). So maybe now you can understand why the price of lots costs and housing is so high! I know it was an enlightening experience for me!
