| When planning a new development, developers must account for the density of the project. By an established minimum lot size, the density of single-family homes in a development is predetermined leaving developers with a finite number of homes that can be contained in the development. With respect to multi-family homes such as condominiums, maximum density is usually calculated by the number of homes per acre.
Another density issue that can greatly affect a development is the subtraction of certain acreage from the density calculation. For example, a parcel of land contains ten acres on which the developer would like to place townhomes. Although the number of townhomes that could be built is dependent on the number of acres, certain acreage may be excluded from the calculation. So, although the parcel is ten acres, if three acres are subject to exclusion, then there are actually only seven acres of developable land on which townhomes can be built. Depending upon the parcel's location, excluded acreage could include wetlands, land with a steep slope, and designated open lands. In addition to these notable acreage exclusions, developers must also take into account land that will be used for streets, sidewalks, utility easements, etc. This land allocation is applicable to developments for both single-family and multi-family home developments. Copyright 2010 LexisNexis, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. |