Locating a House (or building)

To locate a house (or building) the following must be considered;

1. the type of neighborhood must be determined.
2. an appropriate site must be selected.
3. the building must be located on a site.

1. Type of Neighborhood

affected by;

• type of lifestyle
  • accessibility to;
    • work
    • transportation, air, land, & sea
    • schools, daycare, elementary, secondary, college& university
    • clubs
    • athletic resources and facilities
    • shopping
    • medical facilities
• availability of services (public and private)
  • water
  • sewer
  • roads
  • lighting
  • snow removal
  • garbage collection
  • emergency services, police, fire & ambulance
  • communication; mail, telephone, Internet access
• cost
• zoning by laws
  • The local municipality controls a zoning plan which outlines the type of building which is allowed to be built in a particular location.
  • Land is usually zoned as;
    • Residential
    • Commercial
    • Industrial
  • The zoning of adjacent lots must be considered. Such things as adjacent landfill zones, railroads, airports, and industrial buildings may affect the value or future value of a site.
  • Lots may be severed or zone changed by application and procedure through the local or municipal government.

Assignment - Write two or three sentences defining the following neighborhood types;

1. remote
2. rural urban fringe
3. urban - small town
4. urban - suburban
5. urban - urban core

See pp. 59 - 60 Jansen

2. Site

to select a site the following may need to be considered;

• trees
• slope
• drainage
• soil
• size
• cost
• clear title
  • Lien: A debt or charge shown at the Municipal Registry Office against a property. An example is a Mortgage where the lender "owns" (not really) a portion of the real estate. (Note: Always use a Lawyer when purchasing Real Estate)
• easements

Assignment - Describe easement. See p 61 Crunden.

3. Locating a Building on A Site.

consider the following;

• Legal requirements

Assignment - See Page 63 Crunden

1. Make notes and Sketch Fig 3-5 and chart into your notes.
2. Define setback, side yard and backyard.
3. Why would municipal laws define setback, and side yard?