DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH
Food Service Facility
Structural Plan Review Checklist
These requirements apply to new construction or the renovation of a food service facility in Anne Arundel
County and the City of Annapolis. Architectural plans must be submitted to scale and shall contain
information required by the Department of Health. The plans must contain the following:
1. __Building permit application number.
2. __Contact person. The name, mailing address, email address and daytime telephone number of the
person responsible for the structural plan review.
3. __Scale used. Architectural scale: 1/4 inch = 1 foot or ½ inch =1 foot.
4. __Site plan. A site plan of the property showing the building in relation to the following:
a. The location of public sewer or the on-site sewage disposal system.
b. The location of public water or a private well;
c. The location of property lines, roads and any rights of way affecting the property.
d. The location of the exterior grease traps or grease interceptors. Grease interceptors must be
located on the exterior of the building and may not be located within food preparation, food
storage or food service areas. For more information on grease interceptor requirements,
contact the pretreatment coordinators at:
i. The Anne Arundel County Department of Public Works at 410-222-8818 or visit
www.aacounty.org/DPW/Utilities/pretreatment.cfm;
ii. The City of Annapolis at 410-263-7946;
iii. The BWI Airport at 410-859-7524; or
iv. The Sanitary Engineering Program at 410-222-7194 if the property is served by an
on-site sewage disposal system.
5. __ Floor Plans. Floor plans that show the physical layout of the food service facility including:
a. The location of food preparation, food storage, food service work areas, walk-in refrigeration
and freezer units, customer areas, restrooms, bar areas and beverage preparation areas;
b. The location of food service equipment within the food preparation, storage and service
areas that accurately corresponds to the equipment schedule or list;
c. The location of hand sinks, three-compartment sinks and food preparation sinks;
d. The location of trash storage, trash disposal areas and dumpster areas shown on grease
resistant, durable surfaces such as asphalt or sealed concrete pads;
e. Self-closing devices provided on all exterior doors and restroom doors to prevent the
entrance of insects and rodents;
f. The location of a janitor’s closet, including the mop sink, mop/broom rack and mop bucket
storage;
g. Aisles and work spaces, which are unobstructed and meet the following requirements:
Number of sides to work space where food Minimum width between food equipment and
preparation occurs walls in work space
1 3’
2 4’
Open on all sides 5’
6. __ Equipment Schedule. An equipment schedule or list of all food service equipment including:
a. The manufacturer name, model number and manufacturer cut sheets;
b. The location of the food service equipment within the food service facility;
c. The type of shelving that will be provided in walk-in refrigeration and freezer units and in
storage areas;
d. Thermometers provided in all refrigeration, hot storage equipment and freezer units used for
potentially hazardous foods that are accurate, easily readable, in proper working condition,
and calibrated every 2° F; and
e. Statements indicating that:
i. Counters and cabinets will be open on the business side to allow for easy cleaning;
be equipped with casters; or will be sealed to the wall, floor and other food service
equipment surfaces to a gap no greater than 1/32”.
ii. All food preparation surfaces are constructed of stainless steel or made of a food
contact approved material.
iii. Proofers, rack ovens, walk-in coolers and stationary equipment will have sufficient
space to allow for cleaning or will be sealed to the wall, floor and other food service
equipment surfaces to a gap no greater than 1/32”.
iv. Exposed food is stored in either a food grade container or elevated to a height of 18”
(or higher) above the floor surface.
7. __ Plumbing Plan. A plumbing plan and plumbing riser diagram that shows the location of
plumbing fixtures including:
a. The location of all hand sinks. Hand sinks must be located within each food preparation and
utensil washing areas. Adequate separation must be provided between hand sinks and food
service equipment, food preparation areas and utensil washing areas. A splash guard is
required for hand sinks where an adequate separation is not provided.
b. The location of food prep sinks, three-compartment sinks and other food service equipment
with waste drains. Food prep sinks, three-compartment sinks, steam tables, ice machines,
drink stations, beverage dispensers and similar types of equipment which contain food,
utensils or food portable equipment must be drained as an individual waste line(s) and may
not be directly connected to the waste drainage system. Waste line(s) must be provided with
a 1” air gap between the food service equipment and the flood rim level of the floor sink.
Individual waste lines must be provided for the three-compartment sink. These
requirements are in addition to the general plumbing requirements of the Anne
Arundel County Plumbing Code.
c. The location of mop or utility sink.
d. The details of the exterior grease trap/grease interceptor and connection to the public sewer
system or an on-site sewage disposal system. For questions concerning design requirements
for on-site sewage disposal systems, contact the Commercial Plan Reviewer in Sanitary
Engineering at 410-222-7194.
e. The connection to the public water system or private well. For questions concerning water
testing requirements for private wells, contact the Transient Non-Community Water Supply
Specialist at 410-222-7036.
f. The location of water closets, urinals and hand sinks in restroom facilities at the ratio
required by the Anne Arundel County Plumbing Code. For more information on restroom
facility requirements, contact the Permit Center at 410-222-7704 or visit www.aacounty.org.
g. Threaded hose bibs (indoor and outdoor) are equipped with proper backflow prevention
devices.
8. __ Finish Schedule. A list of the finish schedules* and materials including:
a. The type of interior surfaces for floors, walls and ceiling in food preparation areas, utensil
and dishwashing areas, food storage and restroom areas.
b. The finish surfaces on walls in food preparation, food storage, utensil washing, and toilet
room areas must be smooth, washable, water and grease resistant to a level above the splash
zone or the highest level reached by potential splashes of food or water. Examples of
acceptable materials include painted surfaces with a satin grade finish or greater, ceramic
tile, quarry tile, or stainless steel.
c. The finish surfaces on floors in food preparation areas, utensil and dishwashing areas, food
storage and restroom areas must be smooth and durable. Acceptable materials include:
epoxy, sealed concrete, quarry tile, ceramic tile, commercial grade continuous sheet vinyl or
similar material are acceptable. Carpet tiles are not permitted where liquid food products are
served, stored or displayed.
d. The finish surfaces on ceilings in food preparation and utensil and dishwashing areas must
be smooth and washable. Ceiling tiles may not be perforated or contain a fiberglass backing.
*Exposed construction such as exposed floor and ceiling rafters, trusses or beams,
utility ducts and lighting must be limited to dining areas, dry food storage areas and
may include areas over self-service beverage dispensing equipment. The exposed
construction may not extend into bar areas or beverage dispensing areas where
utensil washing or food or drink is prepared.
9. __ Lighting Plan. A lighting or electrical plan that includes the following:
a. Lighting in food preparation and food equipment areas must be sufficient to meet 50
footcandles at work surfaces;
b. Lighting in storage areas, toilet rooms, locker rooms, garbage storage areas, dining areas
during cleaning, utensil washing areas, bar, wait station and service areas must be sufficient
to provide 20 footcandles at 30 inches from floor surfaces; and
c. Light bulbs and tubes must be shielded in food preparation, food storage and utensil storage
areas to prevent glass from falling into food or onto utensils.
10. __ Mechanical Plan. A mechanical plan that includes the following:
a. The HVAC system;
b. The make, model number and capacity in cubic feet per minute (cfm) of mechanical
c. equipment located over cooking, steaming, dishwashing equipment and restroom areas; and
d. Detailed plans for ventilation hoods located over cooking equipment and dishwashing
equipment where water temperature is used as the sanitizing agent or where excess
condensation is expected to occur. Detailed plans must include the following:
i. A 12” overhang on all open sides above cooking equipment;
ii. An 18” overhang above charbroilers or for food equipment with pull out drawers;
iii. Ventilation hood meets NSF standard 2 and NFPA 96;
iv. Ventilation hood is designed to achieve 20 cfm at the cooking surface and is capable
of meeting this standard through a field test using a smoke candle at the pre-opening
inspection; and
v. An air quality permit is required for charbroilers with cooking surfaces greater than
5 sq. ft. For more information on air quality permit requirements, contact Maryland
Department of the Environment at 410-537-3289.
11. __ Menu. Submit a menu or other written list of the foods to be prepared and served.
12. __ Opening Date. Provide the estimated date of the opening of the proposed food service facility.
13. __ HACCP (Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point) Plan Review point of contact. Provide the
name, mailing address, email address and daytime telephone number of the person responsible for
HACCP plan review.
14.__ HACCP Plan Review. A HACCP Plan Review Specialist will schedule a meeting with the Food
Service Facility Manager, Operator or Point of Contact to develop a HACCP plan for the food
service facility. A HACCP plan review is required before a pre-opening inspection can be
scheduled with the Department of Health and before a food service facility can open and
operate. The HACCP plan review meeting will consist of the following items:
a. Review of the menu or list of foods that will be prepared in advance of service or distributed
off premises;
b. Development of a HACCP plan that documents the receiving, storing, thawing and
preparation of food and identifies the critical control points. The HACCP plan will provide a
description of the food systems that will be used at the food service facility such as:
i. cook-hot hold- serve;
ii. cook-cool-reheat-hot hold-serve;
iii. cook-cool-cold hold-serve; and
c. Food safety training (estimated 1 hour to complete) that is focused on temperature control
measures, cross contamination and disease prevention.
Additional information on the structural plan review requirements for food service facilities can be found at
www.dsd.state.md.us/comar
Revisions to plans and plan submittals must be submitted directly to:
Anne Arundel County Permit Center
2664 Riva Road
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410-222-7700
www.aacounty.org/departments/inspections-and-permits/permits/
City of Annapolis Department of Neighborhood and Environmental Programs
160 Duke of Gloucester Street, Room 202
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410-263-7946
www.annapolis.gov/1058/Online-Permit-and-Project-Center
www.annapolis.gov/DocumentCenter/View/615/Mini-Guide-for-Obtaining-Permits-and-
Inspections-PDF?bidId=
For more information, contact:
Structural Plan Review Specialists
Anne Arundel County Department of Health
3 Harry Truman Parkway
Annapolis, Maryland 21401
410-222-7276
410-222-7036
www.aahealth.org
8/2022
