Simple Buildout Analysis Capabilities Needed in ArcGIS Urban

[MelanieNeedle]

Please consider adding a simple build out analysis capability in ArcGIS Urban. The workflow would allow a user to add in zoning, parcels, and overlays which represent undevelopable area. Then intersect the overlay with the parcels to estimate development and undevelopable area at the parcel level. Next the total allowed units would be calculated based off the developable land. It would also be nice to subtract out existing development. Placeways/CommunityViz had a build out wizard as an ArcGIS Desktop extension which did this work flow so well. A simple buildout analysis is a basic analytical function that all planning offices would be benefit from. 

[ScottEdmondson]

Doesn't ArcGIS Urban already do this, essentially, in a few clicks, with metrics set up?
I remember CommVIZ!

[MelanieNeedle]

@ScottEdmondson it sort of does. The overlays only constrain the 3D building placement/ built units not the total allowed units. The overlay overrides are applied to features if they overlap the parcel centroid. This could cause some areas being left out. My priority is understanding the numeric built out analysis based on zoning and constraints portrayed through the numeric built units. 

If you know a way to do this in ArcGIS Urban, I would love to hear it. 

[ScottEdmondson]

@MelanieNeedle hmm, not entirely following you, but here's what i know.

1. Using AGU requires some set up for the whole jurisdiction; simple can be automatic when create the model using available data, or can be more manual with city's adding their own parcel and zoning data.

2. once set up, i thought one of the whole points of AGU is doing buildout analysis for given constraints (zoning, etc.). 

a. you define a boundary (plan or project) for your area of interest.

b. demolish all existing buildings if not a greenfield

c. manually pop up buildings, 1/parcel built to max zoned height; or i think there's a way to just assign buildings to each parcel

d. with metrics set at X gsf/unit, the plan or project dashboard automatically calculates net new units, which is total buildout if you demolished all parcels.

e. AGU also has a site selection tool to identify likely sites that will develop. with the sliders, you have a lot of control over which sites pop up with development potential. 

f. then there's CityEngine, where you could write a buildout calc rule and then apply it to an area.

After outlining the above, i'm beginning to see what you mean. a wizard would be nice. !! 🙂

[ElizaGutierrez-Dewar]

Hey @MelanieNeedle, I submitted your general feedback to the dev team. I want to clarify somethings though from how I am understanding your comment.

A key aspect I read in your idea is the ability to mark a portion of a parcel as undevelopable. That is a known feature request and I have added this use case as another reason for that feature to be prioritized.

A question: If you did have a dwelling unit density (allowed dwelling units per acre) set, would you expect Urban to use the total parcel area or the developable parcel area to calculate allowed dwelling units?

I want to confirm another request I am drawing from your post. It seems you want the ability to set a dwelling units cap on a parcel as a raw value, rather than as a density (dwelling units per acre) which is the current option and will define allowed units by the size of the parcel. Is this correct? 

Another idea I am reading is the ability to consider existing conditions more when generating new buildings (still focused around dwelling units). Currently, when you apply a building type, Urban removes all existing conditions and existing metric values. I read you saying you want the option to keep the existing metric values when applying new buildings.

Let's say you know a parcel has 10 units (you have manually added that data to the parcel or uploaded that data) The parcel can accommodate 100 units (either because the density comes out to that or you manually set this number if we followed the previous idea). If you apply a new building type, you want it fill in only up to 90 units worth. Is that an accurate representation of what you are thinking? 

[MelanieNeedle]

@ElizaGutierrez-Dewar Thanks for the reply! 

A question: If you did have a dwelling unit density (allowed dwelling units per acre) set, would you expect Urban to use the total parcel area or the developable parcel area to calculate allowed dwelling units? Answer: Good question. Urban should use the developable parcel area to calculate the allowed dwelling units or floor area. However, a user should be able to click a box to tell Urban to transfer the dwelling units 'lost' from the undevelopable portion of the parcel to the developable portion of the parcel. 

I want to confirm another request I am drawing from your post. It seems you want the ability to set a dwelling units cap on a parcel as a raw value, rather than as a density (dwelling units per acre) which is the current option and will define allowed units by the size of the parcel. Is this correct? Answer: I am not totally following this question. sorry! 

Another idea I am reading is the ability to consider existing conditions more when generating new buildings (still focused around dwelling units). Currently, when you apply a building type, Urban removes all existing conditions and existing metric values. I read you saying you want the option to keep the existing metric values when applying new buildings.  

Let's say you know a parcel has 10 units (you have manually added that data to the parcel or uploaded that data) The parcel can accommodate 100 units (either because the density comes out to that or you manually set this number if we followed the previous idea). If you apply a new building type, you want it fill in only up to 90 units worth. Is that an accurate representation of what you are thinking? Answer: This doesn't directly answer your question, but my idea is for Urban to calculate a numeric build out and then generate metrics off the allowed units estimated from a numeric build out.  The numeric build out inputs should be density or FAR, height, lot coverage, overlay constraints, and setbacks. In my mind this models the zoning regulation. Then the numeric allowed units could be the cap limiting the number of units or floor area being drawn in 3D on the parcel, if a user desires to use zoning as the limit.