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Site selection is the first and most important phase of facility planning. Proper site selection will enhance the aesthetics of the facility, reduce construction and maintenance expense. Several concepts need to be reviewed before you begin the site planning process. The first is to have a clear idea of what the purpose and function of the facility will be. The site should complement both. The purpose and function of the facility will determine its design. The second concept is Keep It Simple (KIS). Facility designs need not be overly technical or complex. Creative facility design should emphasize alternatives in location, materials and planning.
PROPERTY ACQUISITION FOR FACILITIES DEVELOPMENT
A variety of methods are available to park and recreation agencies for land acquisition. The most common forms of acquisition are listed below.
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purchase; fee simple or also called direct purchase is the most commonly used land acquisition method. |
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condemnation; governments have the "right of eminent domain." Governments may acquire land by forcing owners to sell through a process called condemnation. A court will set a fair market price that the owners must accept. This method obviously has serious image and public relation consequences for the agency. |
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transfer; land may be transferred from one government department to another. Examples are: railroad right-of-ways, utility right-of-ways, flood plains, land surrounding reservoirs, and municipal properties. |
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leasing; long-term leasing can be used for recreation facility development. Usually it is between two government agencies or a government (city) and a private no-profit organization such as a YMCA. |
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gifts; land may be given or left as a bequest (in someone's will) as a gift to a city, county, state, or federal government. |
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dedication by developers (subdividers); this method requires land developers to set-aside a certain percentage of property for recreation and park use or pay a fee of equivalent value in lieu of the property. An example is the Town of Payson Impact Fee. |
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easements; is the purchase of a right to use the land without an outright purchase. It is usually an agreement between the land owner and an agency interested in the land that will allow a specific type of recreational use. Compensation to the land owner may be a yearly payment or some form of reduced tax rate. |
13 Steps of Site Selection
1) Research. Primarily concerned with determining the needs, wants, and desires of the community members and the activity function and space requirements.
2) Regional Analysis. Collection of data about the off-site environment to determine that the new proposed facility use is compatible with the existing man-made and natural environment.
3) Site Analysis. These are factors relating to access, availability of utilities, space requirements, economic impact, zoning requirements, etc.
| 4) Program. The organization of the information needed for planning a
project which will result in meeting the needs of the target market (community members).
It also includes the projected facility/program participation numbers. 5) Function Analysis. The result of the previous data analysis which provides information about; space diagrams, relationship charts, bubble diagrams, and land use concepts. |
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6 & 7) Combined Site, Function, and land Use. These two steps deal with limitations. Peoples needs and site constraints. Many times the land available is not sufficient for all of the proposed programs/activities. How these constraints can be accommodated and how the accommodation will impact the project will be identified.
8 & 9) Refinement and Site Plan/Overall Design. A site plan will show all of the existing and proposed site features overlaid on a topographic base map. Other drawings will include utilities sources, grading and drainage.
10) Construction Documents. Construction documents control the construction process. They consist of two crucial parts:
Schematic Design Phase
An architect prepares a schematic design which includes the relationship between all of the project components and the scale. The schematic design is based on a construction budget and schedule approved by the project team/owner.
| Design Development Phase This is a revised schematic design based on changes made by the project team after reviewing the first schematic design. The revised drawings fix and describe the size and character of the project based on architectural, structural, mechanical and electrical systems, materials, and other related components. Often a project has to be scaled back due to the high cost of the original project components. |
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Construction Document Phase
One the design and budget has been approved the architect prepares a new set of drawings which consist of drawings and specifications which detail the constructions requirements for the project. The number of construction documents will be reflected in the cost of the project. the greater the number of construction documents the higher the bids tend to be.
Drawings
All drawings must be concise, accurate and understood by the construction crew. A plan control list will help keep the drawings organized. It includes a description of individual drawings. The final form of the plan control list is the drawing list index. The construction drawings must be reviewed by the maintenance staff to:
| ensure compatibility with existing facility; |
| determine maintenance expenses; and |
| consider alternative materials or design modifications would reduce construction or maintenance costs. |
NOTE: A detailed cost estimate is prepared at this step of the design process.
Specifications
Specifications included in the construction documents are reflected in three parts:
| Division "0" - Bidding and contract requirements (including bid documents) |
| Division "1" - General Requirements |
| Divisions "2-16" - Construction Specifications |
Include everything in the specifications that must be in the final construction project. When the design plans and specifications are completed, the project is ready to go to bid.
Construction Specifications Institute specifications format book uses the following 17 Divisions:
| Division 0 Bidding and contract requirements |
| Division I General requirements |
| Division 2 Site work |
| Division 3 Concrete |
| Division 4 Masonry |
| Division 5 Metals |
| Division 6 Wood and plastics |
| Division 7 Thermal and moisture protection |
| Division 8 Doors and windows |
| Division 9 Finishes |
| Division 10 Specialties |
| Division 11 Equipment |
| Division 12 Furnishings |
| Division 13 Special construction |
| Division 14 Conveying systems |
| Division 15 Mechanical |
| Division 16 Electrical |
11) Bidding. Bidding is the process of receiving competitive prices for the proposed construction project. A bid form is used to ensure that all the bids are prepared using the same format for ease of comparison. The dollar amount which requires an agency to go to bid varies between agencies but usually begins around $20,000 and up.
The bidding process includes:
1) Request for Proposals (RFP), the text calls this bidding and advertising. A general notice is published requesting design and construction firms to submit a bid on the proposed project. Sample RFP. An advertisement to bid includes the following information:
| description of the project and work required; |
| date and location project plans can be picked up; |
| cost of plans and specifications; |
| bid deadline (date and time); and |
| client information |
2) Review of Bids. After the Acceptance of bids deadline. All bids are reviewed for costs, construction schedule, and other related factors.
3) Awarding of the contract. A contract is signed for the proposed project with the design or construction firm(s).
* Bid documents include: invitation to bid; instructions to bidders; a bid form; sample bid forms; contract form(s); and proposed documents (drawings and specifications).
The most common bids are:
| Total overall price |
| Lump sum with alternatives (phased construction) |
| Unit prices |
Parks and Recreation Department
Please send estimates for a Feasibility Study for the Town to build a multi-purpose recreation/community center with the following dimensions and entities:
| 60,000 - 100,000 sq. feet |
| Performing arts facility seating approx. 1200 |
| Basketball courts |
| Indoor pool |
| Gymnastics facility |
| Climbing walls |
| Racquetball facility |
| Indoor running track |
| Locker rooms |
| Fitness/wellness center |
| Meeting rooms |
Design cost Cost approx. $6-10 million to construct The organization of the proposal is intended to be as brief as possible while addressing the
Submittals received after the deadline, will be returned to the sender unopened.
Performance Bonds and Warranty
Performance Bond: a bond which the contractor's insurance company guarantees to the project owner that the work will be completed according to the contract documents. If the work is not completed or the contractor goes bankrupt, the project will be completed by the insurance agency.
Warranty: a guarantee the contractor provides with the building, usually for a 12 month period after the occupancy date.
12) Construction. This step will include several phases, the number of which will be determined by the size of the project. Burt usually include: Preconstruction Conference; Construction; Change Orders; Pre-final Inspection; and As-built Drawings and Catalog Cuts.
13) Review. This is a process to determine if the project do what it was designed to do, from a utilization standpoint.
The basic elements of site selection are:
Hydrology: A thorough understanding of the sub-surface water table, ground-level drainage patterns, flood plains and the run-off from the proposed facility's parking area, roofs and activity areas.
Soils: The composition of the soil will impact the size and type of facilities which can be built. Certain types of facilities that are not compatible with specific soil types. There are four basic types of soils.
| clay: will absorb and hold moisture. |
| sand: will drain moisture quickly. |
| silt: is a combination of sand and clay. |
| gravel: drains quickly, offers no soil nutrients for plants. |
Loam is a mixture of the major soil classes.
Other Soil Considerations:
Soil Acidity (pH): Soils may vary from a pH of 4.5 (strongly acid) to 9 (strongly alkaline). A soil pH of 7 are considered neutral. Most trees and grass prefer a mildly acidic soil (around 6.8). Soil pH is an important factor in selecting your landscaping trees and plants.
Vegetation: The site selection process will include an evaluation of the existing vegetation on the proposed site. The question is to what extent should it be left as is or removed. Problems result from not evaluating this question properly. Having to remove trees after construction is more costly than including their removal in the ground preparation phase. The opposite is also true. Problems arise from removing too much of the existing vegetation.
Topography: The "lay of the land" should be integrated into the facility design. By using the natural features of the site construction costs can be minimized and the facility will blend with the surrounding area.
Landscaping: Landscaping can be an effective tool for facility planning. It can enhance the aesthetics of the area, provide barriers and directional controls on pathways and hide maintenance or other structures. Plants should be carefully selected for the climate and elevation of the site as well as the type of human activity being planned.
Terms:
Covenant: a formal, sealed contract or a clause within a contract. Violation of such a contract or clause would result in a lawsuit for damages.
Easement: a right or privilege that a person may have in another's land, such as a right-of-way.
Copyright
2001 Northern Arizona University, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
