After you’ve created a Project Site and added contextual elements, you can modify the elements in the Base Layers to prepare the site for the designs you will propose. You can:
- Rename the Site — to a name that’s easier to recognize in a list of sites.
- Specify the Project Site Limit — to indicate the bounds of the area where your new proposed designs will be located.
- Remove Buildings and Roads to be Demolished — to clear the ground for your new buildings and site features.
- Create a Terrain Pad — to create a level building site — especially usefully if your project site is on sloping terrain.
Specifying the Site Limit and Any Zones
Site Limit
The Site Limit defines the overall project boundary, the full area where the project is being studied or planned. In this image, the red area marked as item 1 is a Site Limit — the entire development plot.
Zones
Zones define sub-areas within the Site Limit — typically with specific rules, uses, or design intentions. In this image, the outlines marked as item 2 within the Site Limit define Zones — for example, a residential area, a commercial area, a public space, or a setback area.
You can use Site Limits or Zones as Analysis areas.
Creating a Level Building Site on Sloping Terrain
If your buildings will be located on sloping terrain, use a Terrain Pad to create a level building site before creating the buildings. Each building’s first floor elevation will be set to the elevation of the terrain at the first point that you click while sketching the footprint.
Adding Constraints that Limit Development
A constraint is a rule or restriction that limits where or how development can happen within a site.
Constraints help ensure the design respects planning rules, physical conditions, or protected areas. Examples include:
- Setback distances
- Height restrictions
- No-build zones
