Background
Currently I&P utilizes reproducible hardcopy Mylars and/or paper copies for the filing and signing of public plans, public asbuilts, and for easement exhibits. These documents currently feature ink signatures and/or professional seals. COMAR defines an original signature as a handwritten signature in permanent ink or a digital signature which satisfies the following requirements:
- It contains identification unique to a licensee using it, such as the licensee’s name and license number;
- It is under the exclusive control of the licensee using it;
- It cannot be repudiated and is independently verifiable; and
- It is linked to the document in such a manner that any subsequent modifications to the document after the digital signature was appended to it will result in the document no longer being prepared or approved by the licensee (see Sec. 09.23.03.09. Signing and Sealing Requirements).
Purpose
I&P is implementing a digital filing and signing process to improve the integrity, verifiability, and record keeping of public plans and easement exhibits that are approved by the I&P Engineering Division. The process is consistent with the COMAR (Board of professional Engineers) original signature requirements.
In addition, transforming the transmittal and routing of hard copy documents to a digital process is expected to add efficiencies and reduction to the overall review and approval cycle times for development projects.
Instructions for digitally filing and signing public plans and easement exhibits that require approvals from the Engineering Division within I&P can be accessed below.
Timing
All public plans and easement exhibits that have not been submitted for approval by the date of this memo will need to follow the new digital filing and signing procedures. If you wish to submit Mylars or hardcopy documents for approval or a revision of a previous approval after the date of this memo, please reach out to the contact person for this notice.
Description of Terms
- Public Plans: This refers to public storm drain plans, water and sewer plans, Stormwater management plans, and road plans (including but not limited to, STLS plans, pavement marking plans, signal plans, traffic control plans).
- Engineer on Record (EOR): The Engineer originally retained by the applicant and responsible for certifying the design and signing and sealing plans, documents, and revisions submitted to the County. The EOR is a certified professional engineer in the State of Maryland.
- Alternate Engineer on Record (AEOR): The engineer authorized by the applicant to perform revisions to previously signed plans, documents, and revisions intended to be submitted to the County.
- EOR, AEOR, or PLS Point of Contact (POC): When the POC is a different individual than the EOR or AEOR, the EOR or AEOR shall be copied on all email communication.
- Professional Land Surveyor (PLS): The professional land surveyor certifying Easement/Dedication Exhibits.
- Revised Sheets: Involves making revisions to design plan sheets that are signed and sealed by the EOR and fully approved during construction.
- Superseded Sheets: Design plan sheets that are signed, sealed, and fully approved and being replaced in their entirety by new plan sheets.
- Redlined Plans: Modifications made during construction approved by the field inspector and certified by the PE/PLS.
Procedures for Public Plan Approval in Docusign
After all plan review comments have been addressed and the EOR or representative have been notified by the I&P engineering reviewer (reviewer) to submit the public plans for signature (formerly the Mylars). The following steps shall be performed:
- The reviewer shall email the EOR to notify him/her that the public plans and cost estimates are ready to be signed.
EOR prepares the public plan sheets as individual pdf files. Each plan sheet shall include the professional engineering certification and a digital seal (not to be ink signed). The email address for all professional engineers sealing the plans shall be added to the engineering contact information on all plan sheets. Ensure that the following approval stamps for the Street trees, lighting, and signage (STLS) plans and the traffic control plans are placed on the appropriate sheets:
The associated PWA cost estimates for utility, road, signal, stormdrain, and bus shelters shall be prepared as a single PDF file for each public plan type. It is also noted that separate cost estimates are required for low pressure sewers, grinder pumps, and mayo tanks as they are to be inspected by DPW. Each estimate must include the 10% construction mobilization, 10% survey cost, and the 20% contingencies. Please include the 7.5% inspection fee on all estimates. The inspection fee percentage shall be based on the total cost. The first page of each estimate shall be sealed (it will be signed in Docusign). The following approval stamp shall be added to the first page or each estimate:
File naming conventions:
- PDF plan sheet files: Project Number(1)_Project Name_Plan Type_Sheet # of #.pdf
- Revised Sheets: Rev#_Project Number(1)_Project Name_Plan Type_sheet # of #.pdf
- Superseded Sheets: Sup_Project Number(1)_Project Name_Plan Type_sheet # of #.pdf
PWA cost estimate files: Cost Estimate_ Project Number_Project Name_Plan Type.pdf
For public plans that go through the subdivision or site development plan process, the project number shall be in this format A-YYYY-####-##AA (where A indicates an alphabet, Y is the year, and # is for numbers). For public plans that do not go through the subdivision or site development plan process, the project number shall be the grading or building permit number as applicable. Please contact the reviewer if you encounter other cases.
Plan Type corresponds to the type of public plans, i.e. utility, road, signal, Stormdrain, etc.
- The individual pdf plan sheet files along with the public plan cost estimate for each public plan type shall be zipped and transmitted to the reviewer along with the email address for the EOR. The following alternatives for file transmittal maybe used.
- Request a google drive upload link from the reviewer to upload the zipped file to.
- Provide the reviewer with the zipped file via a drop box link.
- The reviewer shall prepare the Docusign Envelope for routing in the signing order outlined below. Unless the total number of sheets from all public plan types is less than or equal to 10, each public plan type shall be approved under a separate Docusign envelope.
| Signing Order | Entity/Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reviewer Prepare Docusign Envelope | Reviewer will upload the documents, set signing order, and will create signing fields as needed. |
| 2 | EOR or AEOR signs plans | EOR and/or AEOR to sign and date each digitally sealed plan sheet, revised plan sheet, and/or superseded plan sheet. |
| 3 | OPZ transportation stamps | traffic control plans (if any) |
| 4 | DPW traffic stamps | signs and street lighting plans (if any) |
| 5 | Reviewer signs plans | Reviewer signs plans |
| 6 | I&P Engineer Manager signs plans | I&P Engineer Manager signs plans |
| 7 | DPW traffic signal engineer signs | signal plans (if any) |
| 8 | DPW fileroom corrects envelope | DPW fileroom enters the DPW number, sheet tracing number, revision tracing tracking number, public and private Fire hydrant numbers, public Sewer Manhole numbers, amongst other infrastructure tracking numbers. (This is either done as a correction to this Docusign Envelope “when the total number of sheets is less than 10” or as a new Docusign Envelope. If the total number of sheets exceed 10, a new Docusign envelope will be started and any copies received by email during this step are not considered final.) |
| 9 | All entities on envelope along with PE/PLS POC | receives copy of the completed file (see notes on step 8) |
When the total sheet numbers is less than or equal to 10, the DPW Engineering file room shall be the last entity to sign off on the envelope. Their role shall include entering the DPW number, the plan tracing number, and assigned DPW asset numbers for sewer manholes, public and private fire hydrants, amongst other assigned asset numbers to track the public infrastructure in the County’s databases. When the total sheet numbers exceed 10, a new Docusign envelope will be started for the DPW engineering file room versus performing the work under step 8 as shown in the table above. In this case, any signed copies received by email before the DPW file room step should be discarded and are not considered the final record. The final signed record will be fully signed and will have an assigned DPW file number on the lower left corner of the first sheet and all sheets will be assigned tracing numbers. See example below.
Handling Plan Revisions and Superseded Sheets
Plan revisions may be necessitated for a variety of reasons. Public plan revisions may impact the cost estimates, which would need to be revised as well. When the EOR preparing the revision is the same as the EOR who originally signed the plan, the revision shall be first submitted to the reviewer as a red-line markup for review. Once all comments are addressed and the EOR is notified that the plan and associated cost estimates are ready to be signed, then a superseded plan sheet shall be prepared (in black and white) to replace the originally signed sheet. A superseded note shall be added to the plan sheet (As near as possible to the tracing number). The EOR shall transmit the originally approved sheet along with the superseded sheet to the reviewer following the naming convention and procedures outlined above. In the event that the revision impacted the PWA cost, a revised cost estimate needs to also be included.
When the EOR preparing the revision is not the same as the EOR who originally signed the plan or the revision is minor in nature, the revision shall be first submitted to the reviewer as a red-line markup for review. Once all comments are addressed, the EOR shall email the originally approved sheet along with the revised red-lined plan sheet (with the completed revision block and revision clouds with the triangles and revision numbers added to the plans as redlines). This information along with the revised cost estimate should be provided to the reviewer following the file upload, naming convention and procedures outlined above. Include the note below near the sheet tracing number.
Handling Easement/Dedication Exhibits
Easement/Dedication Exhibits requiring the signature of the I&P engineer manager shall be compiled in a single PDF file along with the required checklist and shall be emailed to the reviewer. The email shall include the email address for the Professional Engineer or Professional Land Surveyor that is sealing the documents along with the Project name and numbers. The reviewer shall prepare the Docusign Envelope for routing in the signing order outlined below. As required by the Circuit Court of Anne Arundel County, the PE/PLS along with the engineer manager signing the documents must sign off on an affidavit of intent to use electronic signature (Md. Code, Real Property Title 3, Subtitle 7). The affidavits will be included with the Docusign Envelope.
| Signing Order | Entity/Role | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Reviewer reviews and prepares Docusign Envelope | Reviewer will review and upload the Exhibits along with the completed checklist and affidavits |
| 2 | PE/PLS signs and date the digitally sealed Exhibits and affidavit | PE/PLS to sign and date each digitally sealed Exhibit. |
| 3 | Engineer Manager signs the plans and affidavit | Engineer Manager signs the plans and affidavit |
| 4 | All entities on envelope along with PE/PLS POC | Receives copy of the completed file. This file maybe downloaded and compiled with other material (i.e. notarized agreement) and recorded at the County’s circuit court. |