7.1 Introduction

site plan

Site planning is the process of arranging an external physical environment in complete detail to include the structures, circulation patterns, and other elements that form the built environment.  The site planning and design process is used to develop a project that fulfills facility requirements and creates the optimal relationship with the natural site and adjacent facilities. 

The overall goal of site design at Fort Carson is to establish a consistent, harmonious and systematic approach which will promote overall visual unity.  Within this larger objective is the intent that the elements of site design are also provided with the flexibility to respond to the subtle differences within each of the functional zones.  The analysis of the existing visual environment indicates that the following principles and concepts need to be emphasized on future work at Fort Carson.

Sustainability Partnerships Goal:
To facilitate regional partnering to influence development, integration and implementation of Fort Carson and area sustainability plans by 2030.  The desired end state is a working and living environment within the limits of regional resources, because there is no integrated regional plan for sustainable development that includes water, infrastructure, services, ecology, quality of life, economic prosperity, and natural resources and their depletion.

The analysis of the existing visual image identified, an important ingredient of site design, has not been given consistent consideration in the past.  Future work on-post must begin with a complete survey and analysis of existing conditions that are integrated into the early design process.  This site analysis must include, at a minimum:

site analysis graphic

• Visual impacts.

• Existing vegetation.

• Topography and soil types.

• Adjacent existing and future land uses.

• Circulation patterns.

• Potential views.

• Security considerations.

• Building orientation and separation.

• Climatic conditions.

• Service entries.

• Contextual relationships with the surrounding area. 

All of these considerations must be in addition to the building program development that will provide specific criteria for the facilities, site elements, circulation requirements, and force protection criteria for the project.

The other five design components are dependent upon site planning for their location and spatial relationships.  The other five components are identified below and discussed in Sections 8-12.  

• Section 8 - Buildings Design Standards.

• Section 9 - Circulation Design Standards.

• Section 10 - Landscape Design Standards.

• Section 11 - Site Elements Design Standards.

• Section 12 - Force Protection Design Standards.

Site Planning Design Standards