Site Analysis

Overview:   

This project was intended to define how much and where new construction could happen on a site purchased by the Client in Vista, California.  The new site was located in an industrial park and was traversed by a number of different kinds of utility and transportation easements.  The Client desired to build a new operations center on the site.  That center would house its North County operations.   

Design Objective:  

The completed building was  intended to  house storage space for landscape trailers and equipment for crews of landscape personnel providing services in the San Diego North County area.  In addition, project management spaces were to be provided for six project managers, and administrative staff.  Other objectives of the building were to provide outdoor parking for trucks and dry materials storage needed to supply the crews during their activities on site.  An area for debris disposal was provided to permit offloading of plant debris upon crew returned to the building in the afternoon.  An efficient well organized and economical building solution was the goal of the design.   

Design Challenge:   

The site was located near a creek drainage easement.  This natural preserve consumed to approximately two thirds of the site. No construction could happen on the preserve or above any of the sewage or water easements that traversed the property. In addition, a shared right-of-way with an adjacent property required specific configuration of the drives providing entry and exit from the property.  In order to satisfy these requirements the design developed within a very small relative footprint on the building site.  Site circulation required entry at one end of the available site area and exit at the other.  A building plan was developed which met all of the legal requirements of the site and provided the required area for equipment, material and personnel use on the site.

Design Approach:   

A detailed land survey was accomplished for the site.  That survey revealed` the exact locations of all of the utility and transportation and drainage easements that were located on the site. A building code analysis was prepared that identified, where construction could be placed on the site in the optimum fashion in order to allow the maximum amount of construction to occur.  Meetings were held with the Vista Building and Planning Departments and a preliminary plan was developed for submission to the city's planning department for review and approval.  Various alternative plans were prepared all with the objective of providing for a building on the site configured within the limitations of the existing easements and property extents. Preliminary drawings were prepared for contractor pricing, and for the evaluation of various alternatives that might be put forward for the construction of the building.