Lotniveau

Lotniveau is a term used in land surveying and development to denote the vertical position of a parcel of land relative to a fixed reference datum. It can refer to the elevation at a specific point on the lot or to an average ground level across the parcel. The concept is important for drainage design, site grading, and foundation planning, because the elevation of the building pad, driveways, and surrounding parcels affects water runoff, flood risk, and accessibility.

Establishing lotniveau involves field surveying with benchmarks and leveling instruments or GNSS, using a defined local datum. The resulting elevations are typically expressed in meters (or feet) above the reference level. In planning documents, lotniveau is considered together with adjacent lot elevations and road elevations to ensure proper drainage and continuity of the built environment. Some jurisdictions require building permits to specify minimum or maximum elevations for lots or for features such as basements relative to the municipal datum.

Terminology varies by language and region. In Dutch contexts it is sometimes referred to as kavelniveau, and in French contexts as niveau du lot. The concept is distinct from geodetic height above mean sea level due to the use of local datums, which reflect local topography and planning needs.

Impact and applications include informing grading plans, stormwater management, and construction costs, and ensuring compliance with zoning and infrastructure design requirements. Lotniveau is typically documented in cadastral or civil engineering plans and is subject to local regulatory approval.