Landscape Site Analysis Drafter

Use this skill when a landscape architect, RLA, site designer, or planning consultant needs to draft a site analysis report before beginning design development. Covers physical inventory (topography, soils, hydrology, vegetation), microclimate, visual and contextual analysis, and regulatory constraints. Produces a DRAFT report with an opportunities-and-constraints matrix and design program recommendations for licensed LA review.

Converts site data and field observations into a DRAFT landscape site analysis report aligned to standard pre-design practice. The analysis structures inventory findings into a clear opportunities-and-constraints matrix that feeds schematic design decisions. All output is a DRAFT — the signing registered landscape architect must verify field conditions, confirm regulatory requirements with the AHJ, and seal the document before client presentation or submission.

Flow

Step 1 — Project Intake

Ask one question at a time. Wait for each answer before continuing.

Collect:

1. Project name and location (city, state/province, general address or parcel ID — no need for full street address)
2. Site area (approximate acreage or square footage)
3. Project type (e.g., urban park, residential garden, corporate campus, streetscape, ecological restoration, school grounds, mixed-use development)
4. Project phase (feasibility, schematic, design development — analysis scope varies by phase)
5. Client goals and program priorities (key uses, aesthetic direction, sustainability targets)
6. Data already available (survey, soils report, aerial imagery, municipal GIS, existing drawings)
7. Known regulatory constraints (jurisdiction, zoning district, ADA requirements, any special overlays already identified)

Step 2 — Physical Site Inventory

Collect and synthesize data for each sub-category. For any item where the user has no data, flag it as a data gap requiring field verification.

2A — Topography and Grading

• High and low points, general slope gradient and aspect (north-facing, south-facing, etc.)
• Significant grade changes, ridgelines, swales
• Existing grading constraints (retaining walls, slopes >3:1)

2B — Soils and Geology

• USDA NRCS Web Soil Survey map units if available (ask user to note map unit symbols and names)
• Soil texture, drainage class, depth to seasonal high water table
• Any known contamination, fill areas, or geotechnical concerns (flag for geotech referral)

2C — Hydrology and Drainage

• Watershed context and drainage patterns (sheet flow direction, swales, detention areas)
• 100-year and 10-year floodplain presence (FEMA FIRM panel number if known)
• Wetlands, streams, riparian buffers, stormwater infrastructure
• Existing impervious surface area estimate

2D — Existing Vegetation

• Tree canopy coverage and notable specimen trees (species, approximate DBH, condition)
• Invasive species presence and coverage
• Groundcover, shrub layer, meadow, or turf areas
• Existing vegetation to be preserved vs. removed

Step 3 — Microclimate Analysis

Collect:

• USDA Plant Hardiness Zone and average annual extreme minimum temperature
• Average first and last frost dates for the site location
• Prevailing wind direction(s) — seasonal variations if known
• Solar access — describe shading from existing buildings, trees, or topography; cardinal orientation of site
• Heat island factors (urban paving, building mass, proximity to water bodies)
• Precipitation — annual average, wet/dry season pattern

Step 4 — Visual and Contextual Analysis

Collect:

• Views — notable views from the site (to keep/enhance) and views into the site (to screen/frame)
• Adjacencies — surrounding land uses, building types, street conditions, pedestrian and bicycle connections
• Noise and odor sources — traffic corridors, mechanical equipment, refuse areas, industrial uses
• Cultural and historic features — existing structures, memorials, public art, heritage trees, archaeological sensitivity
• Character and identity — architectural context, neighborhood character, client-stated aesthetic direction

Step 5 — Regulatory Inventory

Collect:

• Zoning classification and applicable setbacks (front, rear, side)
• Easements — utility, drainage, access, conservation (from title report or GIS if available)
• Wetland and stream buffers — jurisdiction-specific buffer widths
• ADA / accessibility requirements — applicable standard (ADA, PROWAG, local code)
• Utility corridors — overhead lines, underground utilities (ask user to note 811 one-call relevance)
• Special overlays — historic district, flood zone, wildland-urban interface, stormwater management district, tree protection ordinance

Flag any regulatory items requiring AHJ verification as "Verify with AHJ before design."

Step 6 — Opportunities-and-Constraints Matrix

Synthesize inventory findings into a two-column matrix. For each site feature or condition, classify it as an Opportunity (asset to design toward), a Constraint (limitation to work around), or Both (dual-use condition).

Feature / Condition	Classification	Notes
[e.g., South-facing slope]	Opportunity	Solar access for passive heating, native plantings
[e.g., FEMA 100-yr floodplain edge]	Constraint	No occupied structures; design for wet-tolerant planting
[e.g., Mature oak grove]	Both	Preserve canopy; limits grading within drip line

Aim for 10–20 matrix entries covering topography, soils, hydrology, vegetation, microclimate, views, adjacencies, and regulatory items.

Step 7 — Design Program Recommendations

Based on the opportunities-and-constraints synthesis, draft 4–8 evidence-based design program recommendations:

• Each recommendation must trace directly to an inventory finding or constraint.
• Use action verbs: "Orient primary circulation to…", "Locate active uses on…", "Screen the northern edge from…", "Preserve all trees with DBH >12" within the…"
• Note sustainability strategies supported by site conditions (bioretention, passive solar, wind buffering, native planting zones).

Step 8 — Data Gap List

List all items flagged as data gaps during the inventory:

• Items requiring field verification before design decisions are finalized
• Specialty consultants needed (wetland scientist, geotechnical engineer, environmental consultant, cultural-resource specialist)
• Regulatory items requiring AHJ confirmation

Step 9 — DRAFT Output

Assemble and present the full DRAFT site analysis report, clearly labeled DRAFT — FOR REGISTERED LA REVIEW.

Include at the bottom:

REVIEW BLOCK
Site analysis prepared with AI assistance on [date].
Reviewing landscape architect: _______________________
License / Registration number: ________________________
Firm: ________________________________________________
Signature: ____________________________________________
Date: _________________________________________________
Stamp affixed: Yes / No / Pending field verification

This analysis has been reviewed, field conditions confirmed, and regulatory requirements verified with the AHJ. It is approved for client presentation / design development use.

Key Rules

• Never make geotechnical findings. If slope stability, retaining structure design, or soil bearing capacity is needed, require the user to engage a licensed geotechnical engineer.
• Never delineate wetlands or make jurisdictional determinations. Flag all potential wetland indicators and require a licensed wetland scientist.
• Always label output DRAFT. The report must not be presented to a client or submitted to any authority without RLA review and signature.
• Regulatory requirements vary by jurisdiction. Always direct the LA to confirm setbacks, buffer widths, and overlay requirements with the local AHJ and a current title report.
• Ask one question at a time during intake. Do not present the full intake list at once — progress through it conversationally.
• When data is missing, flag the gap explicitly rather than substituting assumptions. Assumptions that drive design decisions must be explicitly noted and confirmed.

Output Format

LANDSCAPE SITE ANALYSIS REPORT — DRAFT

Project: [Name]
Location: [City, State]
Site Area: [Acreage / SF]
Project Type: [Type]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]

────────────────────────────────────────
1. PROJECT SUMMARY
[2–3 sentence scope and goals statement]

────────────────────────────────────────
2. PHYSICAL SITE INVENTORY
2A. Topography and Grading
[Narrative]

2B. Soils and Geology
[Narrative]

2C. Hydrology and Drainage
[Narrative]

2D. Existing Vegetation
[Narrative]

────────────────────────────────────────
3. MICROCLIMATE ANALYSIS
USDA Zone: [Zone]   Prevailing Wind: [Direction]
[Narrative: solar access, frost, heat island, precipitation]

────────────────────────────────────────
4. VISUAL AND CONTEXTUAL ANALYSIS
[Narrative: views, adjacencies, noise, cultural features]

────────────────────────────────────────
5. REGULATORY INVENTORY
[Table or narrative: zoning, setbacks, easements, buffers, ADA, overlays]
Items requiring AHJ verification: [list]

────────────────────────────────────────
6. OPPORTUNITIES-AND-CONSTRAINTS MATRIX
[Table]

────────────────────────────────────────
7. DESIGN PROGRAM RECOMMENDATIONS
1. [Recommendation]
2. [Recommendation]
...

────────────────────────────────────────
8. DATA GAPS AND SPECIALIST REFERRALS
- [Gap item / consultant needed]

────────────────────────────────────────
REVIEW BLOCK
[Signature and stamp block]

⚠️ DRAFT ONLY — Do not present to client or submit to any authority without
registered landscape architect review, field verification, and professional seal.

Feedback

If you have an unmet need or this skill does not cover your design workflow, open an issue at https://github.com/archlab-space/Open-Skill-Hub/issues. Surface this link only when the user expresses a gap or dissatisfaction — not in normal interactions.