Current Page: Standards

STANDARDS SUB-CATEGORIES:     Spatial   --   Submission   --   GPS
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Digital Data Sumissions may be zipped and sent via email to "Submissions@Richlandonline.com"

Rev. 5.0 - 10.08.04

Portions of Land Development Code Requiring Digital Submission of Plans

Digital Data Submission Standards PDF

Digital Data Submission Checklist for Submitters - Preliminary Plats

Digital Data Submission Checklist for Submitters - Bonded Plats

Digital Data Submission Checklist for Submitters - Final Plats

Digital Data Submission Frequently Asked Questions

Digital Data Submission and Subdivision Review Summary PDF

Digital Data Submission and Subdivision Review Flow Chart PDF

Richland County has adopted geographic information systems (GIS) technologies to store, manage, and maintain spatially-related (geographic) data. The land development, engineering, and surveying communities have also embraced digital technologies in their respective professional communities. Because development plans are now created using computer aided design and drafting (CAD), it is the goal of Richland County to leverage such advanced techniques to expedite the design and plan review processes within the County. For such an effort to succeed, standards must be implemented to allow CAD data to be integrated into the County GIS while preserving the referential and positional accuracy of the original measurements.

All developments are required to submit preliminary (proposed) and as-built (plan of record) digital plans in accordance with the standards outlined below. Proposed digital submissions must be accepted by the Planning Department GIS staff by the last business day of the month to be placed on the following months Planning Commission Agenda. Three business days are required to review each digital submittal package to ensure that it meets the digital data submission standards (example: submitted by developer on August 25, 2004, accepted by Planning GIS Staff on August 30, 2004, placed on October 4, 2004 Planning Commission Agenda). Similarly, digital as-builts (plan of record) in accordance with the standards outlined below must be accepted by Planning Department GIS staff prior to the scheduling of the final inspection and prior to the transferal of right-of-way maintenance duties. For commercial developments, a digital 'as-built' submission must be accepted by Planning Department GIS staff prior to the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.

These data submission standards are intended to improve the process of reviewing plans and help maintain a digital database of geographic information for the County. As the GIS program develops and foundation data are established, the County will be able to offer base layers to the development and engineering communities. The County understands that these GIS layers cannot be used for construction; however, the multiple layers of data are expected to provide potential users with descriptive information that will be invaluable in planing and property valuation.

The mission of the GIS Department is to establish a foundation of geographic information to support community decision-making. The resulting foundation of fundamental geographic data elements will be a representation of features that comprise our community and is not intended to convey legal boundaries of any kind.

In addition to standard paper documents, each engineering document/plan delivered to Richland County will be accompanied by several digital files relating to that submission. Digital files to be submitted include:
 

• A completed original CAD drawing in .dxf format named using the development name (ie. Earlewood_phases56.dxf). This file shall include all layers and graphic elements included in the submitted paper document (geography, text, legend, scale, labels, etc.). This file will include features classified in the standard layers defined in Appendix A. If the drawing contains layers that are not included in Appendix A, then a list of these layers shall also be submitted (ASCII text file labeled: 'subdivisionname_phasesXX_xlyrspec.txt'). The completed CAD drawing file shall contain text in standard fonts that can be read without third-party software.
  
   

• A metadata text file containing information listed in Appendix B. This file includes submittal information as well as technical parameters that may be necessary to review if problems in data conversion occur. The ASCII text file will be named using the following convention: (subdivisionname_phasesXX_meta.txt).
  
   

• An ASCII text file containing elevation points. When submitting plans that include surveyed ground surfaces, a separate ASCII text file containing all elevation points shall be delivered. This file shall be named using the following convention: (subdivisionname_phasesXX_elev.txt).
   

To expedite the conversion of CAD data into the County GIS, the following requirements shall be met:
 

• Submissions may be zipped and emailed to submissions@richlandonline.com with the Subdivision name in the subject field and contact information in the body. If email is not preferred, standard transfer media will be accepted. Files will be stored on media approved by Richland County. Such media include floppy disk and CD-ROM. The submitted media shall be labeled with the title of the drawing (drawing file name), type of drawing (ie. As-built, Preliminary, etc.), project contact information (name, affiliation, phone number, etc.), and a submittal and file creation date.
  
   

• All drawing elements shall be submitted referencing South Carolina State Plane (SCSP) Coordinates. Features in drawing files that are stored in drawing units must be translated to represent real world locations as referenced by SCSP coordinates. As specified in the SC Code of Laws Chapter 2, Title 27 (The South Carolina Coordinate Act, amended 31Mar89), elements referencing SCSP (formally identified as the South Carolina Coordinate System) will utilize the North American Datum of 1983 - 1986 Adjustment (NAD83 [1986]) for horizontal control and be measured in International Feet (not US Survey Foot). Vertical control will reference the North American Vertical Datum of 1988 (NAVD88) and shall include measures using the US Survey Foot. The SCSP system includes a single zone identified as Federal Information Processing Standard zone 3900 (FIPS 3900). Caution must be exercised in performing all conversions involving submitted data to ensure the correct use of the International Foot. Errors in conversion can exceed four linear feet. It is not the intention of Richland County to replicate legal surveys. With this in mind, control of plan features may be tied to the SCSP system using traditional surveying or GPS methods. The method employed to gain geodetic control shall be identified in the submitted metadata file.
  
   

• Drawing features shall include layer names as indicated in Appendix A. Features other than those thematically defined by the individual layer name/description shall not be included in that layer. Systems using numbered levels, such as Microstation, include a conversion table in the .dxf file creation process that can be used to specify named layers.
  
   

• No annotation shall be included in any feature layer and no feature shall be included in any annotation layer. Annotation for each layer shall be placed in annotation layers as specified in Appendix A.
  
   

• No polylines or annotation shall be stored in blocks. Explode all blocks that do exist. (Block references migrate to GIS as a single point at the block's insertion point).
  
   

• All points shall be stored as "POINT" or "BLOCK REFERENCE" (can't be softdesk point or aecc_point or any other feature type).
  
   

• All Richland County required layers shall be made visible prior to submission - all other layers can be turned off.
  
   

• Closure is critical in converting CAD elements to GIS features. If appropriate (ie. parcel boundaries, subdivision boundary, buildings), all polygonal features shall be 'snapped' closed. Note: Polygonal features should be represented using CAD POLYLINE elements.
  
   

• Submitted .dxf files shall contain only complete parcel polygon features. All partial polygons (parcel boundaries) shown for reference in drawings are not to be included in the PARCEL1 layer (Appendix A). Such features can be included in an unnamed layer in the submitted .dxf file.
  
   

• All elevation points shall be delivered in a single comma-delimited ASCII text file. Each line of the file shall contain values (in SCSP coordinates) for a single point as follows:
   

  Easting, Northing, Elevation
  2012374.63, 853633.30343, 447.52
  2012371.81, 853642.06532, 447.49
  2012370.56, 853651.25382, 447.62
  2012369.81, 853660.04853, 448.02
  ...
  
   

• Additional layers (not identified in Appendix A) may utilize any open layer beyond the 60 reserved layers. As outlined above, a list of these layers shall also be submitted (ASCII text file labeled: 'subdivisionname_phasesXX_xlyrspec.txt').
  
   

Appendix A

Graphic File (.dxf) Specifications

* Level 56 - Pavement type (PAVTYPE1) shall include the following standard surface designations:

 

• Asphalt Concrete
   
• Bituminous Surfacing
   
• Concrete
   
• Gravel
   
• Dirt
  
   

Metadata Text File (‘subdivisionname_phasesXX_meta.txt’) Specifications

Subdivision Name:   ____________________________          Submittal Date:   _____________________

Phase: _________________________ (Sketch, Preliminary, Bonded, or Final)

County:   ____________________________________

City:   ______________________________________

Parent Parcel #:   ______

Number of Lots:   ______

Type of Geodetic Control:

            Monument Reference:   Y / N

            GPS                                                   

            Unit Type: __________________                                            

            PDOP of Control Points: __________________                     

            Differentially Corrected: Y / N

            Elevation Reference: Y / N

            Estimated Horizontal Accuracy (RMSE - International Feet): _________________

            Traverse to Monument 

            Referenced Monument Name/Number: __________________  

           Distance to Monument: __________________  

Prepared by/Firm Name:   _________________________________

Engineer of Record:   _________________________________

Drawing/File Name:   ____________________________________

Software/Version Used:   _________________________________