SITE PLANNING:

We provide site inventory, assessment & analysis services. The results enable our clients to choose the
best site. After the site is selected we provide site planning+design services.

The best site will be identified by the greatest degree of compatibility with clients program. Factors to
consider include the following:

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT PLAN, LAND USE PLAN & ZONING PLAN GUIDANCE
  • Zoning Precincts
  • Zoning Ordinance opportunities and constraints
  • Set back requirements
  • Height limitations
  • Permitted land uses
  • Program Adjacencies
  • Compatibility with adjacent land uses – functional sector compatibility
  • Program Displacement
  • Integration with Existing Programs and Land Uses
  • Acreage adequacy for program
  • Compatibility with adjacent neighborhoods
  • Open Space Plan
  • Parking Facilities
  • Transportation Routes & Circulation – auto, bus, bicycle, pedestrian etc.
  • Utilities (Gas, steam, chill water, fiber, electric, storm, sanitary, utility tunnel)

LEGAL
  • Real Estate Ownership/acquisition issues
  • Demolition
  • Survey of Record
  • Rights of Way
  • Utility Easements
  • Boundary Lines
  • Zoning classification & requirements
  • Environmental Policy Act (environmental issues)
  • Demolition or Unusual Nonphysical Site Conditions
  • Disability Access

PHYSIOLOGICAL ASPECTS (operating systems)
  • Transportation (adequacy of required/desired linkages to public transportation)
  • Vehicular Circulation (patrons, delivery service, EMS and fire trucks)
  • Pedestrian Circulation (disability access, linkages)
  • Parking (vehicles, bicycles, HC, service)
  • Utilities (proximity of public facilities to site & available capacity vs. stand alone plant, extension
    to off-site connection – including storm water, sanitary sewer, telephone, electrical, gas,
    domestic water, steam/chill water, fiber optic lines, etc.)

PHYSIOGRAPHICAL ASPECTS (physical features)
  • Open spaces (great spaces, gateways entries and viewpoints, parks, athletic fields, quadrangles,
    plazas, courtyards, gardens, greenways, streetscapes)
  • Community image
  • Topography (hills, valleys, views, slope, drainage & aspect)
  • Visual Analysis
  • Visibility and Lines of Sight
  • Views within the site
  • Views adjacent to the site
  • Views beyond
  • Geology

ENVIRONMENTAL
  • Sustainability
  • Vegetation (especially Trees)
  • Hydrology
  • Solar Orientation & Sun Patterns
  • Environmental Investigation Stages I & II
  • Soils Investigations
  • Micro-climates
  • Security and safety issues

HISTORICAL (events and forms)
  • Historic Preservation
  • National Register districts & buildings
  • Landmarks

SPATIAL ANALYSIS
  • Community Texture  
  • Scale of outdoor spaces – streets, plazas, courtyards, greenways etc.
  • Building Density
  • Community Pattern
  • Circulation corridors
  • Building orientation & location
  • Community Grain
  • Scale compatibility of development / height and footprint of buildings

DEVELOPMENT & OPERATIONAL COSTS
  • The impact that all of the above factors have on the cost of developing the site and constructing
    the facility.
  • The impact that all of the above factors have on long-term operational costs.

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_Environmental Planning+Design_
The Biosphere Group

Biosphere Planning+Design