Site Planning and Land Use
Site Planning and Land Use
This domain tests how program, context, regulation, and circulation shape a site plan. Expect questions on zoning, setbacks, floor-area ratio, lot coverage, access, parking, open space, compatibility, and sustainable land use.
Core rules
- Zoning controls use, setbacks, height, floor-area ratio (FAR), lot coverage, parking, and landscaping. Confirm whether standards apply to gross or net lot area.
- FAR equals total building floor area divided by lot area. Lot coverage equals building footprint divided by lot area.
- Circulation must separate conflicting users where possible and connect to context. Access points affect safety and queueing.
- Site planning responds to sun, wind, views, noise, topography, and existing vegetation. Good plans preserve significant features and manage stormwater.
- Compatibility is more than meeting minimum setbacks; it includes scale, transitions, and buffering.
Worked example
A 40,000-square-foot lot has a maximum FAR of 0.5 and a lot coverage limit of 30 percent. The maximum floor area is 0.5 x 40,000 = 20,000 square feet. The maximum footprint is 0.30 x 40,000 = 12,000 square feet. If the building is two stories, a 10,000-square-foot footprint yields 20,000 square feet of floor area and complies with both limits. The reasoning: FAR governs total floor area; coverage governs footprint. Both must be checked.
Traps
- Using gross site area when the code requires net area after dedications.
- Confusing FAR with lot coverage.
- Forgetting easements or floodplain limits that reduce usable area.
- Counting parking or hardscape incorrectly against open-space requirements.
- Meeting setbacks while ignoring context and transitions.