1. Chapter 3 Land Development

2. Subdivision: the legal and physical steps a developer must take to convert raw land into developed land. -Regulates/controls/forecasts growth -Controls appearances -Controls the mix of land uses -Provides for adequate infrastructure (utilities, roads, drainage, etc) Subdivision can incorporate everything from large, mixed use mega-plans like Las Colinas to the creation of pad-sites in front of a Wal-Mart

3. Three stages of subdivision as mentioned in the text: -Raw land: Uncle Billy’s 10,000 acre ranch -Semi-developed land: Large parcels to be sold to specialty developers like residential and commercial -Developed land: Individual lots and platted commercial sites. Note: Book on page 59

4. Hindrances to development in the subdivision regulations from the developer’s point of view -Burden of infrastructure -Drainage concerns -Community activism Must remember that logic and perceived entitlements such as zoning or land use may not always prevail. “Squeaky wheel gets the grease.”

5. Where to start? -Look for land that already has the necessary zoning -Look for land that is already served by public utilities -Look for land that is free and has a million dollars of gold buried somewhere on it Obtaining zoning and waiting for utilities is costly, especially if the developer has a significant burden of the financial responsibility on these items.

6. Where to begin after you start… -Desirable area? -Who’s buying? -What do lenders want to lend on? What won’t they lend on? -Site’s physical attributes? Potential natural amenities? -Who else is sniffing around? -How are the schools? -What terms are the other guys offering your potential customers?

7. The benefits of macro-data with residential lot development analysis. -Interest rates -Projected housing starts -Historical absorption rates -Employment growth -Population growth All of these are useful data in assessing the demand. How much of that demand can you capture?

8. Site selection for beginning developers: -Choose a manageable geographic area -Set time limits on the investigation -Don’t depend entirely on brokers… DRIVE AROUND!!!!

9. Site evaluation -Consultants -Walk the land -Drainage -Cable? Telephone? Gas? Electric? -Who could be against it? -What else????????? ASK QUESTIONS!!!!

10. Zoning and Platting -AG Zoning: AGriculture, this may be kind of a “holding area” -Platting and changing zoning potentially will require a public hearing -PD’s: “Planned Developments”

11. Four major regulatory issues according to the text: -Vesting of development rights -Growth controls -Environmental issues -Traffic

12. Avoid the “uh-ohs” -City Staff -Communities (HOA’s) -Talk and ask questions EARLY