Infrastructure

According to a new study by UC Irvine, the Los Angeles-Orange County area would benefit from the creation of 127,000 permanent jobs by 2035 through the construction of high speed rail in the region. The study was conducted by UCI’s Institute for Transportation Studies and was presented before 100 elected officials, business leaders, transportation experts and academics and was partly sponsored by the by the Orange County Transportation Assn. Reportedly incomes would increase by $701 million for workers in the area. The LA Times reports:

“Plans call for one of the initial phases to be built between Los Angeles and Anaheim. During construction, the report states, the Anaheim to Los Angeles segment would provide more than $700 million in wages for workers who would have otherwise been unemployed. The study estimates that the project would create more than 57,000 fulltime construction jobs that would last a year. By 2035, the reports states, the enhanced transportation network and increased mobility created by high-speed rail would attract more than 127,000 permanent jobs to the region.”

However, the study’s findings were based on a more costly approach that would not involve sharing existing tracks between L.A. and Anaheim. Thus, elevated structures would have to be built and existing homes and businesses would have to be condemned. Another focus of the study was the economic benefits that high-speed rail could bring to the state, namely preventing the release of about half a billion pounds of greenhouse gases each year. The study notes that the transportation system could spearhead the expanding green economy by providing an alternative to cars. You can read more here.

In a special three-part series, here at CityNews we’re pleased to introduce readers to the work of Rick Harrison. Harrison is the President of both Neighborhood Innovations, LLC and Rick Harrison Site Design Studio and has designed over 650 neighborhoods in 46 states and 12 countries. Throughout his career he has worked extensively with land developers, builders, municipalities and educators throughout the United States and overseas and has become an industry leader in Land Planning, Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Land Development and Computer Software Development. Below is part three, the final installment:

If you missed part one, click here. Part two can be viewed here.

Prefurbia, Part Three –A new way for Cities to Grow and Regulate.

By Rick Harrison

For the first five years that we began our venture into a new era of planning, we took every job that came through our door, only to discover that many developers used us because they believed that “coving” would save them money and maximize their profits. 

Let’s call these developers “A” types, those that see building a lot as a means to a profit, not as a foundation for many generations of families to live within.  The “A” type developer did not build our designs with any architectural controls or any landscaping themes.  Often our beautifully rendered designs became filled with vinyl-sided homes, and their only architectural theme was a prominent three-car garage door, and perhaps a bush at the front door stoop.

Because there is a considerable delay from a developer walking in our door to the approval process and on to the development of a site to a point of maturity, it took about 5 years to discover that we had many neighborhoods with a great plan that looked awful on the ground.  Worst yet, not only was our name on the plan, but these projects could be pointed to as an example for those competing with our methods.
So we decided to fire all type “A” developers and only work with those that wanted to harness the new methods to create better neighborhoods and not just cheaper projects.  We will call these type “B” developers.

As the type “A” developers brought new jobs in, we told them we would not work for them anymore.  We explained that their lack of architectural controls cheapens their lots and could destroy their profits if a developer nearby offered a neighborhood with the value of an architectural theme.  I had caught their attention.  I went on to explain that if we reduce the infrastructure 30% because of our methods, these costs savings should be applied to site amenities such as gazebos, and extra landscaping to spread more “value” throughout and reduce absorption rates (lots sell faster).  Something amazing happened: I was able to convert most type “A” developers into type “B” developers!

Instead of decreasing the demand for our services by only taking on type “B” developers, we had experienced a considerable increase in business.

In a special three-part series, here at CityNews we’re pleased to introduce readers to the work of Rick Harrison. Harrison is the President of both Neighborhood Innovations, LLC and Rick Harrison Site Design Studio and has designed over 650 neighborhoods in 46 states and 12 countries. Throughout his career he has worked extensively with land developers, builders, municipalities and educators throughout the United States and overseas and has become an industry leader in Land Planning, Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Land Development and Computer Software Development. Below is part two:

If you missed part one, click here.

Prefurbia, Part Two – Technological advancements allowed design breakthroughs:

Your Smart Phone is a combination of dedicated technology and software created over the years to be somewhat intuitive.  For land development technology, we do not have the luxury of having a dedicated hardware technology that is specifically designed for the task.  As such, we need to use the same platforms (your desktop and laptop) that are designed primarily for word processing and photo-editing for the design of land developments.

Who Plans the Neighborhoods we live in?

Everyone!  Yes, it seems that every Architect, Civil Engineer, Land Surveyor, Landscape Architect and many other professions (including Planners) offer Land Planning, or Master Planning, on their websites and business cards.  Land Planning is the first step in the design process and is typically contracted right after the developer secures the land, or the city determines they want to rebuild an area.  Those that offer these planning design services will likely secure the lucrative architectural, engineering, etc. design services later on. Fact #1:  Land Planning is the carrot on the stick to attract the overall development work.  Since Land Planning is not regulated or licensed, one need only to add the two simple words “Land Planning” to their list of services and instantly the developers and cities will assume they are experienced and qualified.  Fact #2:  To become a Land Planner, all that is needed is to claim being a Land Planner.   When a client demands services, all the “land planner” needs to do is review ordinances and follow the minimums allowed by regulation to squeeze every possible square foot of use from the site.  Fact #3:  To plan a site, one needs only to follow minimum front, side, rear yards, low width and square footage minimums (perhaps a few more requirements) to geometrically claim the maximum allowed units.  Fact #4:  Our system of minimums pretty much guarantees the resulting development will be based on the most minimally functional cookie-cutter (monotonous) design.   The developer presenting the site plan may be admonished by the planning commission and council if the design lacks imagination and excitement, but, alas, the developer was simply following the regulatory minimums created by the city in the first place.  Fact #5:  It is cities’ regulations that promote cookie-cutter designs, whereas the developer just assumes this is the best way because his “land planning” consultant would have surely used his expertise if there had been a better way.

And round and round we go in this continual battle between developers and cities that only adds to frustration and eventual increases in home prices.

Lack of Communication and Collaboration:

Place an Architect, a Civil Engineer, a Land Surveyor and a Land Planner in the same room, and they will all be speaking a different language, even though they all speak English.  Rarely do you see a collaborative effort from the initial design on through to the revision stages and to final plans and construction.  You would think that our universities that teach varied degrees in the land development process would have their architectural, engineering, and urban planning students all work on the same projects, but we have not seen a college that teaches our future experts on how to closely communicate and collaborate.
Part of the lack of communication and collaboration is because of the very technology these different consultants use.  

In a special three-part series, here at CityNews we’re pleased to introduce readers to the work of Rick Harrison. Harrison is the President of both Neighborhood Innovations, LLC and Rick Harrison Site Design Studio and has designed over 650 neighborhoods in 46 states and 12 countries. Throughout his career he has worked extensively with land developers, builders, municipalities and educators throughout the United States and overseas and has become an industry leader in Land Planning, Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Land Development and Computer Software Development. Below is part one:

Prefurbia  - Part One

By Rick Harrison

The roots of Prefurbia were set two decades ago.  At the time, I was one of the leading software developers for the Land Surveying, Civil Engineering and Mapping industry with a product called SiteComp UNIX. My background began as a land planner involved in the suburban growth outside Detroit back in 1968. It was apparent that by the end of the 1980’s there had been virtually no change in the land development design and regulatory process, other than the emerging New Urbanism (which was mostly based on the old urbanism).  So, in the early 1990’s, I sent out a short newsletter to 200 randomly selected developers suggesting ways we could make land development more efficient by harnessing the prototype software we were developing.  The response to this newsletter was strong, which signaled a need to move the planning industry forward. Over the next 18 years we had the luxury of pushing the envelope of land development design on almost 700 neighborhoods in 46 States and 13 Countries.

Thus, Prefurbia, is not based on theory but market-proven solutions that have evolved over a long period of time.  Prefurbia is also unique as its research and development was funded by private land developers who trusted the methods were a better way.  There were no influences by institutions or organizations that may have been guided by a targeted agenda.   In other words, Prefurbia would have never have gotten off the ground if it did not make economic sense!

Prefurbia in California:

The first site we planned using these methods in California was Placitas de La Paz, a neighborhood in Coachella.  Chris Canaday, the developer, wanted to build a nice place for migrant farm families to live, and read about a new method to design neighborhoods called “coving.” Prior to this neighborhood, we had planned about 150 other sites using coving, but it was this particular neighborhood that we decided to push the design envelope to a higher level.  First, by separating the pedestrian system from the street pattern, we made it easier and safer for residents to take a stroll through the neighborhood. By providing a traffic pattern where residents maintain a constant rate of speed to get home with one turn or less, there is a savings of both time and energy-use. Today, we coin this method of traffic design as “flow.”  Placitas de La Paz went on to win a “Low Income Project of the Year Award” a decade ago. The neighborhood demonstrated a 42% reduction in public street paving compared to the original 240-lot engineered cookie-cutter grid design with a density increase of 271 lots. In essence, Placitas de La Paz would be considered the birth of Prefurbia, being the first neighborhood to expand land planning design beyond “coving.”

In a special three-part series, here at CityNews we’re pleased to introduce readers to the work of Rick Harrison. Harrison is the President of both Neighborhood Innovations, LLC and Rick Harrison Site Design Studio and has designed over 650 neighborhoods in 46 states and 12 countries. Throughout his career he has worked extensively with land developers, builders, municipalities and educators throughout the United States and overseas and has become an industry leader in Land Planning, Civil Engineering, Land Surveying, Land Development and Computer Software Development. Below is part one:

Prefurbia  - Part One

By Rick Harrison

The roots of Prefurbia were set two decades ago.  At the time, I was one of the leading software developers for the Land Surveying, Civil Engineering and Mapping industry with a product called SiteComp UNIX. My background began as a land planner involved in the suburban growth outside Detroit back in 1968. It was apparent that by the end of the 1980’s there had been virtually no change in the land development design and regulatory process, other than the emerging New Urbanism (which was mostly based on the old urbanism).  So, in the early 1990’s, I sent out a short newsletter to 200 randomly selected developers suggesting ways we could make land development more efficient by harnessing the prototype software we were developing.  The response to this newsletter was strong, which signaled a need to move the planning industry forward. Over the next 18 years we had the luxury of pushing the envelope of land development design on almost 700 neighborhoods in 46 States and 13 Countries.

Thus, Prefurbia, is not based on theory but market-proven solutions that have evolved over a long period of time.  Prefurbia is also unique as its research and development was funded by private land developers who trusted the methods were a better way.  There were no influences by institutions or organizations that may have been guided by a targeted agenda.   In other words, Prefurbia would have never have gotten off the ground if it did not make economic sense!

Prefurbia in California:

The first site we planned using these methods in California was Placitas de La Paz, a neighborhood in Coachella.  Chris Canaday, the developer, wanted to build a nice place for migrant farm families to live, and read about a new method to design neighborhoods called “coving.” Prior to this neighborhood, we had planned about 150 other sites using coving, but it was this particular neighborhood that we decided to push the design envelope to a higher level.  First, by separating the pedestrian system from the street pattern, we made it easier and safer for residents to take a stroll through the neighborhood. By providing a traffic pattern where residents maintain a constant rate of speed to get home with one turn or less, there is a savings of both time and energy-use. Today, we coin this method of traffic design as “flow.”  Placitas de La Paz went on to win a “Low Income Project of the Year Award” a decade ago. The neighborhood demonstrated a 42% reduction in public street paving compared to the original 240-lot engineered cookie-cutter grid design with a density increase of 271 lots. In essence, Placitas de La Paz would be considered the birth of Prefurbia, being the first neighborhood to expand land planning design beyond “coving.”