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Figure 2.

SITE SELECTION CRITERIA


From Landscape Architecture: A Manual for Site Planning and Design
By John Ormsbee Simonds
New York: Mc-Graw Hill, 1998

CRITERIA Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5

I. REGIONAL
Climate (temperature, storms, rainfall, etc.)
Soils (stability, fertility, depth)
Water supply and quality
Economy (rising, stable, declining)
Transportation (highways and transit)
Energy (availability and relative cost)
Landscape character
Cultural opportunities
Employment opportunities
Health care facilities
Major detractions (list and describe)
Exceptional features (list and describe)

II. COMMUNITY
Travel (time-distance to work, shopping, etc.)
Travel experience (pleasant or unpleasant)
Community ambience
Schools
Shopping
Churches
Cultural opportunities (library, auditorium)
Public services (fire, police, etc.)
Safety and security
Medical facilities
Governance
Taxes
Major detraction (list and describe)
Exceptional features (list and descried)

III. NEIGHBORHOOD
Landscape character
Lifestyle
Compatibility of proposed uses
Trafficways (access, hazard, attractiveness)
Schools
Conveniences (schools, service, etc.)
Parks, recreation and open space
Exposure (sun, wind, storms, planning)
Freedom from noise, fumes, etc.
Utilities (availability and cost)
Major detraction (list and describe)
Exceptional features (list and descried)
CRITERIA Site 1 Site 2 Site 3 Site 4 Site 5

PROPERTY
Size and shape (suitability)
Aspect from approaches
Safe entrance and egress
On-site feel
Permanent trees and cover
Need for clearing
Ground forms and gradients
Soils (quality and depth)
Relative cost of earthwork and foundation
Site drainage
Adjacent structures (or lack of)
Neighbors
Relationship to circulation patterns
Relative cost of land and development
Major detraction (list and describe)
Exceptional features (list and descried)

BUILDING SITE
Topographic fit of programmed user
Gradient of approaches
Safe distance at entrance drive
Orientation to sun, wind and breeze
Views
Privacy
Freedom from noise and glare
Visual impact of neighboring uses
Visual impact upon neighboring uses
Proximity to utility leads

LEGEND

* - severe limitation
# - moderate constraint
^ - condition good
> - condition excellent

Note: By substituting numbers for symbols, the arithmetic sum for each column would give
a general indication of its relative overall rating. It is to be realized, however, that in
some cases a single severe constraint or superlative feature might well overwhelm the
statistics and become the deciding factor.

And remember that this is SITE analysis. Some municipality, city, provincial or
even regional data may help but they should NEVER be the focus of this part, much
less its only content.

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