Courses:

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The course addresses the range of practical approaches involved in evaluating and planning sites within the context of natural and cultural systems.

The course concentrates on developing the knowledge and skills to make one capable of analyzing and planning a site for development through practical exercises, and a land analysis site planning project in Hopkinton, MA.

Specifically the course is aimed at:

• Teaching a process for land evaluation, analysis, site planning, and the considerations that enter into each stage.
• Providing examples of good site planning.
• Teaching important technical skills needed in the site planning process.
• Providing an opportunity to develop skills through workshop assignments, practical exercises, and site planning projects supported by lectures and discussions.

Some topics to be covered: Site Analysis, Evaluation and Selection, Spatial Organization and Programming, Grading Principles, Analysis of Surface Runoff, Utility Systems, Design of Circulation, Parking and Subdivision Patterns, Street Layouts, etc.

Marsh, William. Landscape Planning: Environmental Applications. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons, 1998. ISBN: 0471242071.

Randolph, John. Environmental Land Use Planning and Management. Washington, DC: Island Press, 2004. ISBN: 1559639482.

Pedagogic Objectives: The principal educational objectives for students taking this course consist of mastering several introductory and enabling concepts:

• To understand spatial as well as temporal relationships between individual site factors and local or regional context.
• To identify basic relationships between natural and cultural processes and how they influence site planning decisions.
• To apply a variety of methods for "reading" sites.
• To evaluate natural and cultural site systems as they shape design programs and goals.
• To evaluate and critique alternative site development proposals.
• To practice techniques commonly utilized by site planning professionals.

The course combines seminar and workshop formats. Short informal lectures will introduce concepts, analytical techniques and site planning models. Short exercises as well as a major project will provide practice in various site planning techniques. Students will share work space.

Short exercises and assignments will be given during the semester.

A major land analysis/site planning project in Hopkinton, Massachusetts, will constitute our main work during the semester.

Students are graded on the basis of active participation, commitment, team work, quality of presentation and submitting the exercises on time.

Progress during the semester and striving for improvement will be credited.

During the semester the class will work on one major land analysis/site planning project in Hopkinton Massachusetts. Weston Nurseries comprises +/- 900 acres of land (more than 5% of the total land area of Hopkinton), and because of this, the nursery in many ways defines the character of the entire northeast quadrant of the Town. For the last several years the owners of the property have been quietly investigating ways to extract value from the land to enable the business to re-invent itself for the next generation of the family. Most recently, there has appeared in the marketplace an offering of 615 acres of nursery property for sale.

Most of the parcels have been used for agricultural and horticultural purposes, or uses accessory thereto, since Weston Nurseries relocated its operation to Hopkinton in the 1940s. This offering presents Hopkinton with an enormous opportunities and challenges. What and how much should be developed? Which areas should be preserved? What is the right development? What are the pros and cons of the possible uses and the future costs associated with it?

Since a majority of the Site consists of land under Chapter 61A agreements, the Town has a statutory right of first refusal to acquire parcels offered by the owners. Due to the size, location and landmark significance of the Weston Nurseries property, the Town wishes to identify and explore all commercially reasonable means to acquire the Site, including but not limited to an outright purchase by the Town or formal or informal partnerships with developers, land conservation groups, and other interested organizations.

During the semester we will work with the Town of Hopkinton Land Use Study Committee to analyze, evaluate and develop site planning scenarios for the site in accordance with local objectives.