Selecting a Lot and Siting the Building

Course Outline

Buildings in coastal areas are susceptible to natural hazards, including storms, waves, and flooding. Lot selection and building siting decisions should consider long-term shoreline conditions rather than present-day conditions alone. Factors that constrain siting decisions include parcel size, topography, the location of roads and other infrastructure, regulatory constraints, and environmental constraints. This course reviews these factors and concludes with a multiple-choice quiz designed to enhance understanding of the course material.

Learning Objectives

At the conclusion of this course, students will be able to:

Explain the risks involved in coastal construction;
Identify the factors that constrain siting decisions;
Describe how to avoid costly siting mistakes; and
Determine the required coastal setback line.

Intended Audience

This course is intended for architects, engineers, builders, and owners seeking to learn how to select a lot and site a building in coastal areas.

Course Content

Study the following publications. Each PDF opens in a new tab.

Selecting a Lot and Siting the Building (PDF)
Coastal Construction Fact Sheet Series (PDF) For information only; no quiz questions are drawn from this publication.

Please click the underlined hyperlink above to view, download, or print the document for your study.

Course Summary

This course reviews coastal lot selection and building siting, with emphasis on natural hazards, siting constraints, and the required coastal setback line.

For additional technical information, visit the following resources. Each link opens in a new tab.

Quiz

After studying the course content, take the quiz to obtain PDH credits. The quiz opens in a new tab.

Take the Quiz