Agenda - Planning Commission - 05/05/2005

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Site' Visits: Purpose, Planning, and. By Stuart Meck, FAICP Practice When a developer or property owner submits a proposal for a new development to a government, it is standard practice for professional planners to condu~t a site visit. A site visit's purpose is fo obtain current, first- hand knowledge of the site and surrounding properties for eventual incorporation into a staff report. The. report includes a recommen- dation (see "Formatt ns and Writing'the Staff Report," November ;]oo4). The conditions affecting each development are unique, and professional planners must account for them in determining' whether planning policies and approval standards and criteria are satisfied. Even if a planner made previous visits to a site, changed conditions and We.dimming of memory make a new visit for a new proposal an imperative. This issue of Zoning Practice addresses how to conduct these visits. The first section discusses measuring tools, technology, cloth- in§, and other appropriate and necessary accessories to take to the site. The second - section contains descriptions and a rationale for recording various site characteristics. including land uses on the site and in the sur- rounding area, topography and vegetation, building condition, views, verification Ofvisi- bW infrastructu[e, and more. PURPOSE AND PREPARATION Site visits have at least three purposes: · Veri'E/ing conditions on the site and the accuracy of information submitted as part of the required appli.cation package, such as that for a [ezoning, variance, conditional use, or subdivision; ~1 Describing the surrounding area, especially the potential for land-use conflicts; and · Identifl,/in§ or investi§atin§ special site or area conditions, especially those that could merit more dora[led analyses or present opportunities to carry out policies or pro- posals in local plans. To prepare for the site visit, the plan- ner should have base maps of an appropri- ate scale on which to take notes on the site and surrounding area. The maps should be on a ciipboard'or similar firm surface. The scale of the base map will depend on the extent of the proposal, but one inch=~oo feet is a workable scale on which to write. In addition, the planner should have excerpts from local utility maps showing water and sewer lines in the area and a recent aerial photo to help identify natural and manmade features not easily visible from property boundaries. Because it is sometimes necessary to establish or veri~ distances, the planner should have a long, nonmetallic tape measure on a reel. Measurin§ devices that track dis- tance using a sma[lwhee[ on the end of a metal pole are helpful. Both are available from suppliers of surveying equipment, A handhold cor~pass will also be useful. Keep in mind, site visits call for durable clothing designed to prevent potential dam- age from vegetation sna§s and other assaults by Mother Nature. Boots are also recom- mended if the terrain is difficult or wet, and a hard hat is absolutely necessary if construc- tion is underway. A tape recorder is valuable far dictating field notes. Finally, angry dogs are an occasional hazard, so planners should carry an animal repellent as a precaution. When makin§ several site visits in one day in a ~arge county or citY, planners should map the locations first, proceeding in a clock- wise route to prevent backtracking'. Schedu{e site visits when traffic is lightest and carry identification from the local §overnment in case property owners question the purpose of the visit. ZONING PRACTICE 2,05 AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION 96 ~