Rural Landscape Design Planning
One of the first steps in creating a rural landscape design is defining the site analysis plan. The site analysis plan is more than a written document; it is a thorough and in-depth plan showing development areas and all surrounding environs. To get the most from the information housed in the analysis, several drawings may need to be created showing various scales.
The analysis reviews multiple factors including:
- Topography
- Pedestrian walkways and motorways
- Types and locations of current trees, shrubs and vegetation
- Open lands or pasture lands
- Waterways and wetlands
- Buildings, fences and boundaries
- Historical or cultural elements
- Major utility services
Rural Grounds Rural spaces are important aspects of many cultures and are often highly valued. Developers must find ways to enhance or at least maintain rural character while creating new developments. Good developers meet this challenge by blending new developments in with the surroundings, instead of allowing them to stand apart or trump them altogether [source: Wellington.govt.nz]. |
Before submitting final drafts of development plans, any interested developer is advised to seek community input via community meetings or advertisements [source: Talbot Comprehensive Plan]. Quality of life, security and public interest are all important aspects for developers to consider when creating development plans [source: Wellington.govt.nz]. This is why it's important to pay attention to announcements in your local newspaper. You can have your say toward unwanted planning by speaking up at any meetings.
Using the information gathered from the analysis and community input, strategies are developed for implementation. Residential and non-residential developers are required to submit development plans, which are reviewed by a committee to ensure all designs meet local guidelines and zoning regulations. Professional landscapers, architects and legal representatives should be a part of the board to check the validity of any development plan.
What features do rural landscapes possess? We'll cover that in our next section.
