2019-

2020

DHVSU
DEPARTMENT OF
ARCHITECTURE

DHVSU
DEPARTMENT OF ARCHITECTURE

[PLN-1 SITE
PLANNING/LANDSCAPE
ARCHITECTURE]
RESEARCH WORK RELATED TO SITE PLANNING AND LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE TOWARDS SUBDIVISION AND
HOUSING PROJECTS. (SUBMITTED FOR COMPLIANCE FOR RSEARCH PROJECT)

Submitted by: Diamse, Anderson C.; Pangan, Romel; Musngi, Ariel;

 RESEARCH WORK

IN

PLANNING I
(HOUSING & SUBDIVISION SITE PLANNING)
 Subdivision and site design standards

Subdivision and site design standards are used by communities to regulate how parcels of land
are divided into developable lots, and how those lots are subsequently designed and laid out
through the development process. Subdivision typically includes the creation of a sketch plan
(showing basic lot layout and provisions for public infrastructure), and subsequent creation of a
more detailed preliminary plat (indicating building footprints and specific measurements), and then
culminating in a final plat that creates the new lots. Abbreviated procedures are typically
established for minor subdivisions that involve the creation of just a handful of lots.

Site design standards are related and define the basic parameters for development on individual
lots, including maximum or minimum lot size, how buildings are situated on a lot, traffic and
circulation patterns, pedestrian connectivity, preservation of open areas, and avoidance of
hazardous areas.

Communities increasingly consider hazard mitigation when adopting site layout standards. For
example, applicants are required to avoid mapped hazard areas (like floodplains) in new
development or to develop strategies to mitigate the hazard risk.
As communities grow, they should identify where new growth should be concentrated through
long-range planning mechanisms, such as the comprehensive planning process. There can be
pressure to locate new development in areas that are known to be at risk from hazards.
Communities must balance competing interests when reviewing proposed development. For
example, the need for additional workforce housing in a community should be balanced against
the desire to protect natural areas, view corridors, and natural hazard areas, as well as the safety
and welfare of future inhabitants of the development. Communities are challenged with keeping
development out of harm’s way while allowing individuals to develop land consistent with stated
policies. Communities can often find middle ground through subdivision standards that allow for
new subdivisions to be approved when they meet conditions to mitigate hazards, such as water
cisterns for wildfire protection, slope stabilization for landslide and rockfall, and keeping buildable
lots out of the floodplain. Additional incentives and regulations can be explored such as cluster
subdivisions, density bonuses, and Transfer of Development Rights (TDRs), each of which are
good tools for promoting avoidance of hazards. Each of these are discussed in separate planning
tool profiles.

According to APA’s Zoning Practice issue on Safe Growth Audits (Godschalk, 2009), communities
should ask themselves the following questions related to their subdivision regulations:

Do the subdivision regulations restrict the subdivision of land within or adjacent to natural
hazard areas?
Do the regulations provide for conservation subdivisions or cluster subdivisions in order to
conserve environmental resources?
Do the regulations allow density transfers where hazard areas exist?

As with zoning codes, adoption of subdivision ordinances or site design standards requires
approval by the governing body (City Council, Board of Trustees, or County Commissioners).
  Slopes. Slopes greater than 30 percent, or otherwise unstable or subject to hazards,
are not allowed to be platted or developed for residential uses without mitigation
controls in place.
 Natural Features. Subdivisions or development shall protect waterways, vegetation,
and rocks and other natural features or vistas.
 Areas of Special Flood Hazard. Mapped special flood hazard areas identify areas where
subdivisions shall not be approved without evidence that it is not in a flood hazard or
meets other flood damage protection regulations to the satisfaction of the floodplain
administrator.
 Geologic Hazard Areas. Subdivisions and site plans must meet mitigation conditions
prior to approval in mapped geologic hazard areas in the Town as the information
becomes available, including provisions to prevent danger to human life or property.
 Wildfire Hazard Areas. Applicants for subdivisions or other development must provide
evidence from a professional forester that the proposal meets several conditions,
including adequate roads for emergency services and criteria for wildfire areas
published by the Colorado State Forest Service.
 Perimeter Fencing. Limits the height to protect migration of elk and deer.
 Riparian Setbacks. To promote and preserve the quality of the river ecology, aesthetic,
and recreation.
In addition to these standards, approval criteria for major subdivisions also address areas that
may involve soil or topographical conditions that present hazards.
Similarly, Park County has adopted a dedicated set of natural resource protection standards in its
development code that address steep slope protection; ridgeline protection; drainage, erosion,
and sedimentation control; irrigation and mining ditches; wildlife habitat; and geologic and wildfire
hazards. The latter section incorporates approaches that are common in Colorado communities.
It provides that:
Land uses are restricted to geologic and wildfire hazard-free areas if such areas exist on a site.
If no hazard-free area exists on a site, the diversity of uses and permitted residential land use
densities may be limited to minimize potential dangers to persons or wildlife.
Land use applications shall be denied if the Board of County Commissioners finds that site
planning and engineering techniques cannot reasonably mitigate potential hazards to public
health, safety and welfare; land use shall also be prohibited if it subjects persons or the County
to dangers or expenses required to mitigate hazardous conditions to respond to emergencies
created by such conditions, or to rehabilitate improvements and lands.

Site Planning And Subdivision

1. Size. A residential unit development should provide housing for that population for which one
elementary school is ordinarily required» its actual area depending upon its population density,
2. Boundaries. The unit should be bounded by arterial streets sufficiently wide to facilitate traffic
by-passing the neighborhood instead of passing through it
3. Open Spaces. Small park and recreation space, planned to meet the needs of the particular
neighborhood should be provided.
4. Ifisiitution Sites. Sites for the school and other institutions having service spheres coinciding
with the limits of the unit should be suitably grouped about a central point or common, and
combined with the neighborhood recreation area, usually,
5. Local Shopping Center If warranted by the population to be served the local convenience
shupping facility should be located at the edge preferably at an arterial traffic junction and adjacent
to similar commercial districts, if any, of adjoining neighborhoods.
6. Inten/al Street System. The unit should be provided with a special street system, each highway
bt-ing proportioned to its probable traffic load, and the street net as a whole being designed to
facilitate circulation within the unit with good access to main arteries, and to discourage its use by
through traffic.
Sites are provided for parks, playing
fields and recreational areas.
Church sites are provided in
convenient locations. There is a
central shopping area, with off-street
parking. Two school sites are
provided, reasonably accessible
from all parts of the neighborhood.
The Catholic school is off-centre
because it also serves adjacent
neighborhoods.
"Through" arterial highways, of
adequate width, are separated from
local service roads by limited access
planted strips. Thus both "local" and
"through" traffic are safeguarded.
There are feeder roads for bus
routes. Local residential streets are
designed in such a way as to
discourage "through" driving, yet
remain adequate for local purposes.
At the corners of the area, there are intersections designed to keep "through" traffic moving. One-
family housing is created in an aesthetic as well as a functional setting. Set-backs are arranged
to allow for a "rhythmic variation". A buffer strip separates housing from an adjacent industrial
zone.
There are also apartments and row housing in a variety of types. A neighborhood "focus" of larger
buildings and open space is included as an essential ingredient of a well-designed residential
area.
 URBAN SUBDIVISIONS ASSUMPTIONS URBAN SUBDIVISION PATTERNS
A plan of subdivision, when registered in a land titles office, serves as a legal document by which parcels
of real estate, i.e., lots are described, registered and sold. However, the pattern of streets and lots set out
in a plan of subdivision provides the frame work for the group of houses -the ultimate use of subdivision
plan as a site plan for setting of houses.

Because a group of houses together with landscape features -natural and man-made -streets, walkways,
driveways, street lighting standards and the like con-stitutes physical environment in which we live, an
understanding of the basic framework that is subdividion layout patterns would help in deciding on
suitable plans for new development.

The following six patterns are evaluated in this exercise:

1. Grid 4. Cul-de-sac

2. Modified Grid 5. "P-Loop"

3. Bay, Crescent or Loop 6. Curvilinear

These patterns were chosen because in the past these, with the exception of "P-Ioop", alone or in
combination have dominated subdivision development. In actual practice, and with the exception of small
subdivisions, most of the designs for sub-divisions consist of a combination of these basic patterns.
Combinations are em-ployed not only to provide a variety in the plan but to ensure that the land is fully
and economically utilized and that the plan would generate a particular type of residen-tial environment,
taking into account the shape and contours of the land and the proper flow of traffic.

To ensure that the comparisons being made between the six basic designs are valid, some basic
assumptions have been made with respect to design and site, service levels, basic unit price, and typical
roadway.

The impact of a newer concept -"Zero Lot Line" -on the curvilinear pattern is examined as well.

SITE ASSUMPTIONS

• The proposed site is located in an urban community along the north-west side of its developed area.

• The site slopes gently from north-west to south-east and can provide adequate surface drainage for
residential drainage.

• The site is appropriately zoned for residential development.

• The site is above 100 year flood level.

• There is no evidence of soil erosion.

• The existing water table is low.

• Except for several mature trees scattered on the site there is no other vegetation worth saving.

• The existing land uses in the adjacent areas would not pose a conflict with proposed residential
development on the site. The site is both suitable and ripe for residential development.

• An existing elementary school is located close by in the south-east direction.

• Se-nior schools, shopping, civic and other community facilities are available within a mile from the site
in the south-east direction.

• The site is bounded by a major provincial road (right-of-way 99 ft. wide) on the south ~ide, existing
residential development on the east side, a local existing road (nght-of-way, 66ft. wide) on the north side
and open undeveloped land on the west and north side.
• ~II municipal services and utilities are available along the major road on the south s1de and up to the
eastern limits of the site on the road on the north side.

• The site area is approximately 40 acres.

• The site is owned by one developer.

• Soil conditions are suitable for urban residential development.

DESIGN ASSUMPTIONS
- The basic lot size is 60ft. by 1 02 ft. The size and shape of the property was the dominant factor
in arriving at this assumption.*
- about 1 0% of each subdivision will be set aside for green space, such as parks and buffer areas.
- a 40ft. buffer is required to front on the 99ft. right-of-way.
- a 66ft. right-of-way is required at the top of the subdivision and may be used for utility servicing
(if required). "'
- all rights-of-way within the subdivision are 60ft., except in the cul-de-sac cluster subdivision
which will have 50 ft. rights-of-way.
- construction conditions are assumed to be normal without problems of water, rock, etc.
 URBAN SUBDIVISIONS-BASIC LAYOUT PATTERNS
The six patterns mentioned earlier are illustrated on the following pages. Each layout plan sketch
is followed by technical data and characteristics of the pattern. To give some idea of the kind of
environment a pattern could generate, a bird's eye view is sketched for each pattern.
1.GRID LAYOUT PLAN

GRID PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS

* Straight street running at right angles to each other at regular intervals, primarily
determined by lot sizes.
* uniform rectangular lots and streets relatively easy for lay and professional per-sons to
comprehend and plot.
* maintenance relatively easy.
* running straight streets on hilly terrains may result in uncomfortable and un-desirably
steep grades for walking or driving -unsuitable for many topographic conditions.
* vehicular circulation patterns not clearly defined, traffic invited to move in all directions,
increasing potential for traffic hazards.
* all streets must be constructed to bear heavy traffic loads.
 * This pattern is a handicap to effective house grouping and to generate a sense of
enclosure.
* long, straight streets not visually pleasing, require careful house grouping and
landscaping to provide some relief from monotony of the plan.
* produces substantial number of street cross intersections.

2. MODIFIED GRID LAYOUT PLAN

MODIFIED GRID PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS
Generally characteristics same as for grid pattern but modified as follows:
• straight streets running at right angles to each other with continuity of some streets
broken to avoid monotony and provide a sense of enclosure.
• modifications may provide some opportunities for interesting house grouping and
landscaping treatment in the areas affected.
• modifications provide some direction to traffic improving traffic situations somewhat.
• unnecessary to construct all streets to the same structural design and specifications.
• may not be suitable to all topographic conditions.
• street cross intersections are eliminated.
3.BAY LAYOUT PLAN

BAY PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS

* streets looped off a neighbourhood collector street, sometimes called "loop" in-stead of
"bay".
* sharp turns provide for fairly interesting house groupings as the lots are pie shaped.
* absence of through traffic on the bay makes for safer and more private design while
providing identity to all the homes on the bay.
* problem ot overnight stagnant water in the pipes does not arise when un-derground
services also loop.
* once developed, an impression of completeness given even though con-struction on
adjacent bays may be going on.
* No street cross intersections.
4. CUL-DE-SAC LAYOUT PLAN
CUL-DE-SAC PAITERN CHARACTERISTICS
* relatively short length of street, about 750ft. maximum, with access only at one end, also called
a "dead end" street.
* provides substantial separation of vehicular and pedestrian traffic.
* private and gives identity to the houses in the area.
* underground utilities either terminate in the dead-end or require easements to at least loop
underground mains to ensure continuous flow of water.
* wide turn around, a minimum of 1 00 ft. diameter, required at the dead-end to facilitate turning
of vehicles.
* pie shaped lots created here have much less frontage than adjacent rectangular lots.
* No street cross intersections.
5. "P-LOOP" LAYOUT PLAN

"P-LOOP" PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS

* Looped street in the shape of the letter "P" -inside the loop is open space for children's
play and other social activities.
* open space can be used to store snow from the street during winter.
* high degree of privacy and identity.
* since the lots front only on one side of the serviced street, the cost of services to each
lot is proportionately high.
* low overall density because of open space in the middle.
* high density housing projects, such as town housing, could spread the cost of servicing
over a larger number of units.
* some street cross intersections -due to the shape and size of the property.
6. CIRVILINEAR LAYOUT PLAN

CURVILINEAR PATTERN CHARACTERISTICS

* streets curving off neighbourhood collectors.
* curved streets have pleasant and natural effect, particularly when they are justified by
topographic conditions.
* monotony of long rows of houses eliminated as the curving street offers an ever-changing
view.
* lots created are of various shapes.
* suitable for most topographic conditions.
* curved streets discourage through traffic.
* requires careful planning to ensure an economic, safe and pleasant plan .
 ZERO LOT LINE COMPREHENSIVE PLANNED DEVELOPMENT
The spiralling cost of housing, has forced planners, builders and developers to ex-plore different
ways of developing land in order to bring the cost down. Several alternatives such as row or town
housing, condominium ownership and the like have been tried in the last few years. These have
failed, in most cases, to live up to the North-American dream of owning a completely detached
single-family dwelling on its own lot. Thus; a new concept in land development has emerged.
This concept makes it possible to develop detached single-family dwellings on narrow lots by
eliminating at last one side yard by building the house on the lot line. The house on the adjacent
property is either built at a greater setback or on the op-posite lot line. This concept is illustrated
in the following sketch. One side of the street is developed with conventional lots about 60 ft.
wide. The other side is developed with zero lot-line concept and achieves greater number of lots
-in this case six lots instead of four conventional lots, thus reducing the cost per lot. It should bs
noted that each home owner requires and is required to give easement to his neighbour for the
purpose of maintaining that wall which is located on the lot line.

This approach offers unlimited opportunities for creative and imaginative develop-ment of
residential environments at prices people can afford. However, for a project to be successful, it is
essential that a team of architects, engineers and planners be involved from its inception and be
given a free hand to design and develop new ideas.
The major drawback in this approach to subdivision design is that it requires expert handling from
the over-all concept down to the small details. Failure anywhere could mean the failure of the
project.
The following plan gives an approximate idea of this approach and its effect on the cost of land
development for each home owner. One of the basic patterns described previously has been
adapted for purposes of comparison. Thus, it should be noted that this example is used for
illustration purpose only.
All through this research suggest that site planning is a very delicate process and should be done
by licensed Architect. That can plan every aspect of each needs for the subdivision or housing
project to function as intended.

Following all guides and rules under the National Building Code of the Philippines. And
international standards to cater all the problems to be solved under the pretense of site issues.
Such as:

 Flooding
 Land form and type
 Availability of resources such as electricity, water lines and roads.
 Weather condition
 History of location
 Accessibility to the outside urbanity
All of which should be considered and should fall under atleast workable / livable environment.

OPEN SPACES APPROACHES

Open spaces are vital part of the public realm. Attractive, safe and accessible parks and
greenspaces contribute positive social, economic and environmental benefits, improving public
health, well-being and quality of life.
The standard of a local authority’s management and upkeep of the green spaces in its care is a
very public indicator of its broader performance. A piecemeal, reactive approach to providing and
maintaining green space will deliver few, if any, benefits. High quality, well-used spaces are
possible only if those responsible for their planning, management and improvement think
strategically. Councils are responsible for producing open spaces strategies that set out the vision
and the detail of the design, provision and enhancement of the parks and public spaces in their
care. This guide is designed to steer authorities through the process of drawing up effective
strategies based on clear assessments of stakeholders’ needs and wishes. It will help provide a
blue print for working in partnership with other land owners and managers and with local
communities todeliver excellent parks and green spaces now and in the future. It is aimed
primarily at local government but its good practice advice will be useful to anyone with
responsibility for the planning, design and maintenance of green spaces.

A strategy’s broad aims and objectives are to:

 generate political and inter-departmental supportfor parks and green spaces and
establish clearlines of responsibility;
 develop a vision shared by politicians, officers,key partners, stakeholders and
communities;n define the value and role of parks and greenspaces in meeting corporate
and community aims;
 create a comprehensive policy framework forthe protection, enhancement, accessibility
anduse of parks and green spaces;
 make sure that green spaces enhance thequality and diversity of the environment, the
lifeof local communities and promote civic prideand social inclusion;n ensure that the
green space network meets the needs of local people, now and in the future;
 provide a framework for resource allocation thatmaximises funding to support
improvementsfrom internal revenue budgets and externalfunding opportunities;
 create a framework for voluntary and communitygroups to participate in green space
provisionand management.
 GREEN SPACE APPROACH

Good quality green spaces are an essential element of urban neighbourhoods and make a
profound contribution to the quality of life of communities. They offer many economic, social and
environmental benefits. Approaching their planning and management strategically will maximise
the value of capital investment and revenue expenditure. A green space strategy offers an
opportunity to improve parks and green spaces. Its benefits include:

 reinforcing local identity and enhancing the physical character of an area, so shaping
existing and future development
 maintaining the visual amenity and increasing the attractiveness of a locality to create a
sense of civic pride
 raising property values and aiding urban regeneration and Neighbourhood Renewal
 boosting the economic potential of tourism, leisure and cultural activities
 securing external funding and focusing capital and revenue expenditure cost-effectively
 providing a wide variety of cultural, social and community facilities, including seasonal
activities such as fairs, festivals and concerts
 protecting the historical, cultural and archaeological heritage
 illustrating the contribution to health agenda seg. Reducing stress levels, by providing
formal and informal recreational facilities
 providing popular outdoor educational facilities for schools and academic institutions
 improving physical and social inclusion including accessibility, particularly for young,
disabled and older people
 offering alternative routes for circulation, including networks for walking and cycling and
safer routes to school
 raising air quality and moderating extremes of temperature
 protecting and enhancing levels of biodiversity and ecological habitats
 providing environmental infrastructure to improve water quality and flood control.
Recreational
Urban open space is often appreciated for the recreational opportunities it provides. Recreation
in urban open space may include active recreation (such as organized sports and individual
exercise) or passive recreation, which may simply entail being in the open space. Research shows
that when open spaces are attractive and accessible, people are more likely to engage in physical
activity. Time spent in an urban open space for recreation offers a reprieve from the urban
environment and a break from over-stimulation.Studies done on physically active adults middle
aged and older show there are amplified benefits when the physical activities are coupled with
green space environments. Such coupling leads to decreased levels of stress, lowers the risk for
depression as well as increase the frequency of participation in exercise. Casual group walks in
a green environment (nature walks) increase one's positive attitude and lower stress levels as
well as risk of depression.
Ecological

The conservation of nature in an urban environment has direct impact on people for another
reason as well. A Toronto civic affairs bulletin entitled Urban Open Space: Luxury or Necessity
makes the claim that "popular awareness of the balance of nature, of natural processes and of
man's place in and effect on nature – i.e., "ecological awareness" – is important. As humans live
more and more in man-made surroundings – i.e., cities – he risks harming himself by building and
acting in ignorance of natural processes." Beyond this man-nature benefit, urban open spaces
also serve as islands of nature, promoting biodiversity and providing a home for natural species
in environments that are otherwise uninhabitable due to city development.

In a sense, by having the opportunity to be within a natural urban green space people gain a
higher appreciation for the nature around them. As Bill McKibben mentions in his book The End
of Nature, people will only truly understand nature if they are immersed within it. He follows in
Henry David Thoreau's footsteps when he isolated himself in the Adirondack Mountains in order
to get away from society and the overwhelming ideals it carries. Even there he writes how society
and human impact follows him as he sees airplanes buzzing overhead or hears the roar of
motorboats in the distance.
Aesthetic

The aesthetic value of urban open spaces is self-evident. People enjoy viewing nature, especially
when it is otherwise extensively deprived, as is the case in urban environments. Therefore, open
space offers the value of "substituting gray infrastructure." One researcher states how attractive
neighborhoods contribute to positive attitudes and social norms that encourage walking and
community values. Properties near urban open space tend to have a higher value. One study was
able to demonstrate that, "a pleasant view can lead to a considerable increase in house price,
particularly if the house overlooks water (8–10%) or open space (6–12%)." Certain benefits may
be derived from exposure to virtual versions of the natural environment, too. For example, people
who were shown pictures of scenic, natural environments had increased brain activity in the region
associated with recalling happy memories, compared to people that were shown pictures of urban
landscapes.
Current trends
Segmentation of urban open spaces was particularly prominent in America during the twentieth
century. Since the late 1800's romantic park systems, open space designers have been
concerned with guiding, containing or separating urban growth, distributing recreation, and/or
producing scenic amenity, mostly within the framework of geometric abstractions." Such
segmentation was especially prominent in the 1990s, when urban open spaces took a path similar
to that of parks, following the modernization trend of segmentation and specialization of areas.
As modernity stressed "increased efficiency, quantifiablity, predictability, and control… In concert
with the additional social divisions" (Young 1995), open spaces grew more specific in purpose.
Perhaps this increase in division of social classes' use of open space, demonstrated by the
segmentation of the spaces, displays a situation similar to the privatization of London parks in the
eighteenth century, which displayed a desire to make classes more distinct.
Today, places like Scandinavia, which do not have a significant history of outdoor recreation and
gathering places,[citation needed] are seeing a proliferation of urban open spaces and adopting
a lifestyle supported by the extra urban breathing room. An example of this can be seen in
Copenhagen where an area closed to car traffic in 1962 developed, in just a few decades, a
culture of public political gatherings and outdoor cafes emerged. Not only is appreciation for and
use of urban open spaces flourishing in locations that historically lacked such traditions, the
number of urban open spaces is increasing rapidly as well.

Non sustainable gardening, including mowing, use of chemical fertilisers, herbicides and
pesticides harm the green spaces and is not sustainable. Therefore, one of the conditions to reach
good urban open space is Sustainable gardening.

-end-