Site Plans and Subdivisions: What "Approved" Actually Means

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Two Practical Takeaways

1. A quiet site doesn’t mean nothing’s happening. A project might be in the “permits, improvements, platting” phase after preliminary approvals.
2. If a proposal includes new lots, streets, or utility extensions, it’s not “just a site plan.” Subdivision/plat rules apply, and recording matters.

If you’re following a project near you under Durham's Unified Development Ordinance, you’ll hear terms like site plan , preliminary plat , and final plat - often used interchangeably.

They’re not the same thing. And knowing the difference explains why:

• a project can be “approved” but still sit quiet for months (or years), and
• a neighborhood can see plan sets change without a new headline vote.

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