Step 4: Land Planning

It’s often said that land planning for golf projects is a lot like trying to put together a puzzle – without the benefit of having a picture on the cover of the box.

The Land Planning Process

The site planner's role in a golf development project is to work in a collaborative effort amongst a team of professionals of various disciplines. This team guides the planning process and forges a strategy for development, which synthesizes the Client's vision for a project.

The planning process allows the site planner, golf course architect and other team members to build value into the project through effective design and planning decisions, while maximizing the opportunities of the site. While every project site and development program is unique, the principles and strategies of the planning process remain constant.

The following is a summary of the planning process:

Preliminary Program Definition

The initial step of this process is to prepare a preliminary description of program elements to be included in the project. The preliminary programming exercise will synthesize the Client's goal and objectives, project schedule, relevant market data and begin the physical analysis of the site.

Analysis/Site Reconnaissance

During this phase, each disciple will coordinate with the site planner and begin its respective analysis, both physical and qualitative, to determine the development opportunities and project feasibility.

Conceptual Design

The technical input from the team member's analysis is interpreted into a series of conceptual land use diagram alternatives, which establish the location for the project elements on the site. These alternatives are reviewed and revised with members of the project team to verify consistency with the project goals and objectives.

Master Plan Refinement

Based on the final conceptual land plan and the market-based product and facilities program, the team will continue the planning process with Master Plan refinements. During this process, the physical and economic plans are combined to finalize the development and business strategy. Refined site plans, economic models, agency submittals and character sketches are coordinated into a cohesive design package.

Agency Approvals and Funding

Once the Master Plan package has been completed, the design team will assemble and prepare the various applications required for government agency approvals. Typically, staff members from the various agencies have interacted with the project team throughout the design process, and are aware of decisions that have led to the Master Plan. Once the project is officially submitted, the approval process begins and detailed design phases commence.

Design Development

During this phase, initial development areas are studied in greater detail. Site plan enlargements, site selections/elevations and other sketches are prepared to illustrate the critical relationships of project components of the site. These studies begin to establish project "character" and "scale," and are the prelude to final construction documents.

Construction Documents

Upon the approval of plans and budgets from the design development level, final contract documents and specifications are initiated. These documents provide a full description of the project design and are suitable for obtaining competitive construction bids from contractors.

Implementation and Construction

After bids are accepted, the site planner and other team members assist the client in selecting qualified contractors through the process of conducting interviews and reviewing past performance and cost compliance. Implementation of the project follows a coordinated construction schedule. During construction, design team members visit the site when necessary to ensure compliance with design intent and to monitor the quality of construction.

The above planning process facilitates collaboration between the site planner, golf course architect and all team members in the implementation of the Client's vision. This collaborative effort has proven to be essential to successful projects.

Next: Land Entitlements

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