B. SUBMITTAL PACKAGE

FCHOA Purchaser's Handbook - Revision Date: 2021-02

(Each construction improvement submittal package should include the following)
1. Completed Exhibits “A, B, C, & H”.
2. A 12-month construction schedule.
3. A formatted data disc or electronic copies to include all four elevations, floor plan, and site plan.
4. Check payable to the FCHOA for the ARC Review Fee and the FCHOA Road Construction Impact Fee. (See Exhibit “E”).
5. Check payable to the FCHOA as a Surety Deposit that the Property Owner/Agent complies with the Protective Covenants and Purchaser’s Handbook regarding plan approval and construction, job site cleanliness, erosion and sediment control, and drainage. (See Exhibit “E-1”) Part or all of this surety may be used as necessary to pay any administrative and compliance costs associated with enforcement of the above. A request form for release of the Surety Deposit should be completed by the Builder or Owner. (See Exhibit D)
6. Two complete sets of construction documents (blue prints); on standard 18” X 24” sheets (these prints cannot be returned). One formatted data disc or electronic copies to include the construction documents and site plan. In addition, two site plans (minimum scale 1” = 20’) sealed by a Virginia Registered Surveyor, drawn on 18” X 24” minimum size sheets.  These site plans will include as a minimum the following:
  • a. Description and condition of all property corners found and/or reset as a result of a current field survey, together with all bearings and distances between corners reconciled with the recorded subdivision plat. Any property line discrepancies found in the field shall be corrected prior to submitting a site plan to the Ford’s Colony Architectural Review Committee. When performing the field survey, the surveyor shall provide a visible string line from lot corner to lot corner on all sides of the lot. Curves may be marked in successive chord segments not exceeding 50’ in length. Fillet curves may be chorded. Show drainage grades at street and ditch. Show any encroachments across property lines.
  • b. Minimum setback lines per the applicable Supplemental Declaration of Protective Covenants of Ford’s Colony and any proposed encroachments on the setbacks by a proposed structure and any recorded easements (water, sewer, or drainage)
  • c. Field location of sewer manholes that may occur on or near the lot, together with the field location of the water meter and sewer cleanout. Any service not found in the field should be noted “not found” and shall be shown on the site plan in its supposed “as-built” location. The James City Service Authority or the Engineer for the Ford’s Colony Developer (AES Consulting Engineers) at (757) 253-0040) can supply this information.
  • d. Proposed Improvements: the site plan shall include the locations of the following proposed improvements:
    • 1. The house with foundation dimensions and approximate ties to property lines for each major house corner, along with the first floor and garage floor finish elevations. If applicable, show basement finish floor and grading necessary beyond basement for drainage. The house shall be labeled “one story”, “one- and one-half story”, “two story” as appropriate. At least one set of dimension ties shall “fix” the house location on the lot.
    • 2. Spot and finish grades at the four foundation corners, drainage ditch, and roadway.
    • 3. Architectural elevation drawings shall reflect final grades as indicated on the site plan.
    • 4. Decks - covered porches, steps, stoops, etc.
    • 5. All sidewalks.
    • 6. Driveway location, grade of the driveway, width and composition.
    • 7. Exterior HVAC units, with fencing, and electrical meter location.
    • 8.  The trash fence enclosure shall be located unless the lot size requires the trash bin to be   maintained in the garage due to side setback limitations on both sides of the house.  
    • 9. Driveway culvert location, length, diameter, grade of INV IN and INV OUT and direction drainage shall flow. The minimum length shall be 24’. The surveyor shall check with the Engineer for the Ford’s Colony Developer (AES Consulting Engineers) to determine if a larger diameter culvert is required due to the volume of drainage in the roadside ditch. Culverts are normally concrete. Elliptical culverts or trench drains may be appropriate.
    • 10. If the lot or any portion thereof lies within a recognized flood plain, the flood plain boundary (taken from the record plat or other acceptable source) shall be shown, and the minimum finished floor elevation of the dwelling shall be provided. Lots with minimum finished floor elevation limitations (due to sewer line depth, flood plain restrictions, or other reasons) shall clearly show a site bench mark and floor elevations conforming to such limitations.
  • e. Limits of clearing - Ford’s Colony allows the clearing of all trees on the lot within 15 feet of improvements. This, plus all additional proposed clearing, shall be clearly shown. Clearing outside the limits of clearing will be select clearing only as approved by the ARC Inspector. (See Section 2.F for additional information) Clearing to the property line should be avoided except for critical drainage or limited lot size. 
  • f. The ARC requires that a surveyor sets, as a minimum, stakes for the building envelope (outer 4 corners) and any detached accessory structures (garages, etc.). Therefore, the following note shall be required on the site plan - “I have been retained and paid to stake, as a minimum, the building envelope and any detached accessory structures.
Signed_________________________ Date_____________
(insert surveyor’s name), C.L.S.
  • g. In addition, the following notes are required to appear on the site plan:
    • 1. This drawing represents an actual field survey and all the information shown hereon is correct to the best of my knowledge and belief. (This statement may be combined with 1(f) above and shall be signed and sealed as appropriate.)
    • 2. House dimensions based on information supplied by Owner/Developer. Contractor to verify all dimensions.
    • 3. All trees may be removed within the clearing limits shown hereon.
    • 4. Any trees larger than 3” in diameter and outside the clearing limits shown hereon may not be removed without the consent of the ARC or its assigns.
  • h. The following informational notes must also appear: 
(Note: each dwelling shall conform to the building setback requirements (per Protective Covenants), unless otherwise approved by the ARC for a specific variance.)
  • 1. Front setback: 30 feet from the front lot line;
    • 2. Rear setback: 25 feet or 25 percent of the depth of the lot, whichever is greater, from the rear lot line;
    • 3. Side setbacks: 10 feet from the side lot line;
    • 4. In the event the Architectural Review Committee shall determine that application of the aforesaid setbacks to a particular lot would unreasonably limit the use thereof by the Owner and effectively deprive him of an appropriate construction site, the Architectural Review Committee may grant a variance to the Owner of said lot from the provisions of these setback requirements.
  • i. Additional Information Required:
    • 1. Roadway right-of-way width and name of roadway on which lot fronts.
    • 2. Section number, lot number, and subdivision name.
    • 3. Name of Owner/Builder.
    • 4. North arrow and meridian reference.
    • 5. Graphic scale.
    • 6. Notation of area of lot.
    • 7. Adjacent lots/greenway numbers accurately depicted.
    • 8. Direction of apparent roadside drainage.
    • 9. Date.
    • 10.  Location of nearest building corners, the driveway and topography on adjacent homesites, left and right side, within 25 ft in relation to proposed improvements or edge of drainage channel.
    • 11. Exterior HVAC locations, utility meter locations, and HVAC and trash fence screening and proposed yard fencing (if any).
  • j. Other:
    • 1. Topographical information shall be shown on the site plan submitted. Topographical information may be field observations or may be obtained from aerial topography on file for the subdivision. When setting the property corners, the surveyor shall obtain field grades of the front drainage ditch, roadside, and ditch back slope. It is the preference of the ARC that the driveway grade from the edge of the road to the garage shall not exceed a transitional slope of 8% to avoid a bottom-out effect. Any slope greater than 9 ½ % requires a request for variance and shall be noted on the site plan. 
    • 2. Field locations and type of trees with a size equal to or exceeding ten inches in diameter shall be shown on the site plan for all areas outside the house foundation that may be cleared in whole or in part.  
    • 3. See attached Example Site Plan (Architectural Exhibit VI-28) as a guide for an acceptable development plan.
    • 4. Landscape plan showing extent of work to be accomplished prior to occupancy must include a list of plant materials and sizes.  Please refer to the Landscape Requirement Summary Report (Architectural Exhibit VI-21) for minimum requirements for specific sections.
    • 5. Site plans shall be designed to prevent cross lot drainage.  The site plan shall contain a note to avoid cross lot drainage.  If drainage is not directed to the road or a designated drainage easement, provide sufficient grade information to demonstrate the drainage flow as its relates to the adjacent property.
    • 7. Building plans must include:
      • a. Floor plans of all floors at 1/4 scale.
      • b. Fence screening solution for exterior A/C locations and utility meter location.
      • c. Cornice detail at 3/4-inch scale with trim sizes. 
      • d. Window and door schedules (type, manufacturer, size).  The window schedule may be illustrated on a schedule, floor plan or on the elevations and shall be noted as double hung, fixed, or casement.
      • e. Exterior wall detail showing brick or siding and interior ceiling height.
      • f. Chimney detail at 3/4-inch scale.
    • 8. All elevations (front, rear, and side) in full detail at 1/4” scale. Architectural elevation drawings shall reflect final grades as indicated on the site plan.
    • 9. Samples of shingles, brick and manufacturer’s color chips of all exterior finishes. Color chips will remain in the file for use by the ARC Inspector. The ARC may request samples of other products that are not familiar or that require special consideration.
    • 10. Temporary erosion/sedimentation control plan and final drainage plan. The ARC recommends that these plans be prepared by a professional architect, engineer, or landscape architect. These plans will be reviewed by James City County’s Environmental Division. These plans shall be considered minimum requirements for the specific building site. The ARC may impose additional erosion/sedimentation control measures if, in the opinion of the ARC, the approved plans do not satisfactorily control soil runoff.
Note: The ARC may allow the Owner/Builder to take plans that have been marked up during the review process.  These marked up plans shall be returned to the ARC with final plans that incorporate the changes or notice of an objection.  If the marked-up plans are not returned for comparison with the revised plans, the ARC will charge a new review fee for the extra time to make a complete review.
  • 11. The site plan shall note that temporary erosion and sedimentation controls as well as drainage flow controls shall be installed as soon as possible after clearing.  Sites that are cleared and subject to a rain transporting silt outside the limits of clearing, may be held in violation and/or charged a fee (see Exhibit E).  The jobsite will be closed to construction until the erosion controls are in place.   
    • 12. If the silt fence is removed for the landscaping phase, a thick matting of straw is required prior to a rain, unless sod and mulch are installed immediately.
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