Site Analysis (PDF) - A Contextual Approach to Sustainable Land Planning and Site Design

ARCH311 PLANNING 1 Site Planning and landscape Architecture WKS 1 Department of Architecture University of Science & Technology of Southern Philippines Instructors Ar. Archemedes G. Wabe First Semester AY 2023-2024 CTTO What i...

ARCH311 PLANNING 1 Site Planning and landscape Architecture WKS 1 Department of Architecture University of Science & Technology of Southern Philippines Instructors Ar. Archemedes G. Wabe First Semester AY 2023-2024 CTTO What is Site Planning? Site planning is the art of arranging the external physical environment to support human behavior. It lies along the boundaries of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, and city planning, and it is practiced by members of all these professions. It includes the arrangement of buildings, roadways, utilities, landscape elements, topography, water features, and vegetation to achieve the desired site. Site plan It is a type of drawing used by architects, landscape architects, urban planners, and engineers which shows existing and proposed conditions for a given area, typically a parcel of land which is to be modified. Site plans locate structures and activities in three-dimensional space and, when appropriate, in time. Site Planning Principles These principles, guiding both public and private sector decision making, are summarized below.  Foster distinctive, attractive communities with a strong sense of place  Preserve open space, farmland, natural beauty, and critical environmental areas  Strengthen and direct development toward existing communities  Mix land uses  Foster compact building design  Create a range of housing opportunities and choices  Create walkable neighborhoods  Provide a variety of transportation choices  Make development decisions predictable, fair, and cost effective  Encourage community and stakeholder collaboration in development decisions Sustainable Site Design Good Design Makes a Difference The average citizen may think that good design is a frill, or that it simply costs too much to justify the expense. There are many reasons, however, to justify the expense of investing in competent site planning and design. In Designing the City: A Guide for Advocates and Public Officials, interviews with mayors, real estate developers, and other individuals expressed strong opinions about the value of good design in the built environment (Bacow, 1995), as follows:  ‘‘Good design promotes public health, safety, and welfare.’’  ‘‘Good design makes a city work better, not just look better.’’  ‘‘Good design attracts people to a city, and those people help pay for essentials that help instill pride and satisfaction in what citizens get for their taxes.’’  ‘‘Well-designed (real estate) products will succeed in tight markets where poorly designed products will not.’’ Good Design Makes a Difference SITE-PLANNING PROCESS Site Selection Site selection plays an important role in sustainable development. Using land efficiently— and in accordance with the site’s suitability for the intended purposes—is a fundamental precept of ‘‘smart’’ growth, or sustainable development  THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS Selecting the most suitable site The site selection process has seven discrete steps. available for a development or redevelopment project has potential Preplanning benefits that include the following: 1. Clarify project objectives and requirements  Improved function of the proposed 2. Determine the site selection criteria land uses  Greater convenience for the site’s Data Collection and Analysis users  Enhanced aesthetics 3. Identify potential sites  Fewer negative environmental 4. Evaluate each site’s suitability impacts 5. Rank the alternative sites  Reduced construction, operation, 6. Select the best site and document the and maintenance costs results 7. Test project feasibility THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #1 Clarify Project Objectives and Requirements Public sector projects Usually engage multiple stakeholders in a participatory site selection process. Purpose is to promote the public interest. Two common objectives are conserving public resources and encouraging economic development. These may be achieved by directing public investment to locations where it will be used most efficiently and where new development will not negatively impact critical environmental and cultural resources. Businesses— Whether owned by individuals, partnerships, or corporations—initiate site selection studies to relocate existing business activities or to expand businesses into new markets. Virtually any type of business may engage in site selection, ranging from small retail and service sector operations to large international corporations involved in manufacturing or natural resource extraction and processing. THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #2 Determine the Site Selection Criteria Site selection criteria focus the task of choosing an appropriate and, ideally, the best site. Site suitability is largely a function of the site’s capacity to provide the conditions necessary for the proposed uses. The capacity of the site to sustain the proposed uses or activities includes the following:  Physical conditions (for example, adequate site area, solar access, soils, trees and other natural amenities, access to utilities and transportation)  Legal conditions (for example, easements, zoning, development regulations) THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #2 Determine the Site Selection Criteria Site’s suitability is also a function of the proposed project’s affordability at that site. The affordability of completing the proposed project on the site includes the following:  Site acquisition and holding costs  Site design and engineering costs  Mitigation costs  Operation and maintenance costs THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #3 Identify Potential Sites On some projects, the client may provide a list of potential sites for evaluation. In other cases, the potential sites must be identified. Sources of site data that are useful in identifying potential sites include the following:  Multiple listing services (MLS) for property that is for sale or rent  Maps of vacant, infill, and redevelopable land prepared by local municipalities during comprehensive plan updates and neighborhood studies  Street and highway map THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #4 Evaluate Each Site’s Suitability Once potential sites have been identified, additional data are needed to assess each site’s suitability for the proposed project. Some common data sources include the following:  Aerial photographs (for example, Google Earth)  Parcel boundary and tax assessor data  Highway maps  Utility maps  Topographic maps  Soils maps  Ground-level photographs showing views on- and off-site  A quantitative scale, in contrast, assigns a numerical value to each rating class. THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS Examples of rating scales for evaluating site selection criteria include the following: #4 Evaluate Each Site’s Suitability Quantitative rating scale with three classes Typically, site suitability is evaluated +1 Favorable (meets the objective) using a predetermined scale for rating 0 Neutral the selection criteria. -1 Unfavorable (fails to meet the objective) A qualitative rating scale, for example, Quantitative rating scale with five classes may be as simple as three rating 4 = excellent (most desirable/most cost effective) categories: 3 = good 2 = fair Qualitative or nominal rating scale with 1 = poor three classes: 0 = unacceptable (least desirable/least cost o Acceptable effective) o Somewhat acceptable o Unacceptable THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #5A Rank the Alternative Sites Site suitability ratings are summarized in a matrix as either numerical or graphical values for each selection criterion. The site evaluation matrix is simply a table that lists the potential sites and the evaluations of each site selection criterion. THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #5A Rank the Alternative Sites Weighting Approach to ‘‘weight’’ each criterion according to each factor’s influence on site suitability. These weights are assigned on the basis of each attribute’s perceived importance to suitability of a site for the proposed uses. The algorithm for a weighted site evaluation is as follows: THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #5B Select the Best Site and Document the Results The type of client and project determines who has decision-making authority to select sites for further study. For example, this may be an individual, a committee, or a board or commission. Public projects usually have a site selection process that encourages public participation. A site evaluation report is often prepared to summarize the site selection process and the results. The objective, once the best site is selected, is to secure the site and there is often an option to purchase the land. THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #6 Testing Project Feasibility Once the best site has been selected, the project’s feasibility may be studied in more detail. Whether a private sector or public sector project, feasibility studies typically examine the proposed project’s costs and benefits. Feasibility studies may include the following four parts:  Market analysis (private sector projects)  Assessment of site- and context-specific constraints and opportunities (for example, risk assessment)  Pro forma financial statements (private sector development), or capital budget/funding (public sector project)  Design concepts (for example, concept plans and 3-D simulations) THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #6 Testing Project Feasibility A feasibility study provides critical information, including: a) how much of the site can be developed (for example, physical and regulatory constraints limit the developable area, to some extent, on most sites); b) what regulatory permits and approvals are needed to develop the site; c) estimates of the time and political obstacles or incentives that can be expected (Triad Associates, 2001). THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #6 Testing Project Feasibility Site Evaluation, and Acquisition Costs For sites with a history of previous commercial or industrial uses, considerable time and effort may be devoted to acquiring site information before purchasing the property. Land acquisition costs include consultants’ fees for site evaluation and selection. The purpose of this investigation, or ‘‘due diligence,’’ is to ensure that all potential risks and costs have been anticipated before acquiring the property. An option to purchase a site is one way that a prospective buyer can reduce the initial costs and financial risks. THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #6 Testing Project Feasibility Site Design and Engineering Costs Difficult sites are more costly to develop for several reasons. Rugged topography, unstable soils, or shallow bedrock are just a few of the physiographic constraints that make design and construction more complex and, therefore, more expensive. Permitting and Approval Costs The complexity of the project design and permitting process is greatly influenced by the site’s physical and cultural attributes, context and, therefore, it’s suitability for development. Exactions are payments to either the local or county government to mitigate development impacts. On residential subdivision projects, for example, exactions often include payments for off-site infrastructure costs, such as street intersection improvements, installation of new traffic signals, and utility system extensions. THE SITE SELECTION PROCESS #6 Testing Project Feasibility Construction and Mitigation Costs Site preparation costs typically include excavation and site grading, storm water management, installation of site utilities, building construction, and landscaping. Physical site constraints may substantially increase these costs, particularly if development is planned for areas that are poorly suited for construction. Development of poorly suited sites can significantly increase construction costs for site grading and storm water management, vehicle and pedestrian circulation systems, site utilities, and building construction. PROGRAMMING Once a site is selected for development or redevelopment, its future uses can be determined—or programmed—in more detail. The program is typically expressed in terms of the quantity and quality of spaces needed to meet anticipated future needs. Programming also occurs over a range of spatial scales, from the entire site down to individual buildings on the site. PROGRAMMING METHODS Goal Setting Establishing a list of program goals and objectives is an important step in the site planning and design process According to Goldman and Peatross (1993), project programming entails four basic steps, as follows:  Initiate the project  Develop the project mission and objectives  Determine the project’s operational and physical requirements  Document and present the program to the client PROGRAMMING METHODS Data Collection Listed are the most common methods of gathering program data were by rank, as follows:  Interviews  Surveys  Document analysis  Behavioral observation  Visiting a state-of-the-art project  Literature search  Other (for example, interactive group techniques such as charrettes, workshops, and discussions) These data-gathering activities focus on three areas: site and context, user needs and preferences, and design precedents. PROGRAMMING METHODS Site and Context Site visits in the programming phase provide information about the site and contextual attributes that are most likely to either facilitate or hinder the desired uses of the site. The initial site reconnaissance provides an opportunity to determine which of the site attributes should be inventoried and analyzed as the planning and design process continues. The initial site reconnaissance should be aided by relevant supporting information, including the following:  Historic and current aerial photographs  Zoning maps  Road maps  County soil survey maps  Flood hazard maps  Tax assessment maps PROGRAMMING METHODS User Needs and Preferences One of the primary goals of programming is to reach agreement with the client and other stakeholders about the expectations for the project. Public sector projects, such as affordable housing or a new park, typically involve a large and diverse group of stakeholders. According to Goldman and Peatross (1993, p. 362), these may include the following:  Elected officials  Appointed officials  Facility operators  Funding managers and analysts  Public works and building maintenance staff  Citizen groups representing taxpayers PROGRAMMING METHODS PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION Functional Relationships The desired spatial relationships among programmed uses may be determined from client surveys, reviews of the literature, and other sources. These spatial relationships fall into one of four categories, as follows:  Adjacency is essential  Adjacency is desirable but not essential  Adjacency is unimportant  Adjacency should be avoided An adjacency matrix is a useful tool for summarizing and evaluating the desired spatial relationships among program elements. PROGRAMMING METHODS PROGRAM DOCUMENTATION Design Guidelines Design guidelines are not site-specific solutions to a project’s design problems. Portrays the desired qualities of design solutions. Municipalities may use a design review process, in conjunction with design guidelines, to enhance or maintain the visual quality of neighborhoods, business districts, and other area References: