From Book News, Inc.
A comprehensive reference on the land development design process, for professionals including engineers, planners, surveyors, architects, attorneys, and developers. Sections on local government planning and regulatory functions; securing project approvals; site analysis; environmental considerations; soils; water supply systems; real property law; and GPS and GIS contain b&w diagrams, detailed drawings, reports at various design stages, and charts, illustrating the design and approval process for residential, commercial, and retail land development projects. Includes example problems, and an extended case study of an actual development in Virginia. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
Planning Magazine, Sept. 2004
Updated…how-to book that aspires to be both extensive and detailed…table of contents…runs 13 pages…engineering perspective is dominant...
Review
How to develop. "Forty years ago, for a typical suburban house, the cost of engineering, planning, and surveying, including fees paid to agencies, was about the cost of a refrigerator today. Today it is probably greater than the total cost of all of kitchen and other electronic appliances combined." So write Sidney Dewberry and Dennis Couture in the overview chapter that introduces the mammoth second edition of the Land Development Handbook: Planning, Engineering, and Surveying (2002; McGraw-Hill; 1,124 pp.; $150). A development and consulting firm, the Dewberry Companies, is listed as author, which seems appropriate since most of the 26 editors and contributing authors are employees of the firm. The first edition of this handbook was published in 1996. For this version, several of the 41 chapters have been updated, and the order of presentation has been changed to reflect the way issues come up in a project. There are six sections: feasibility and site analysis, conceptual design, schematic design, final design, plan submission and permitting, and construction. This is a how-to book that aspires to be both extensive and detailed; its table of contents alone runs 13 pages. As the title and cover photo suggest, the authors focus on development of greenfields. The engineering perspective is dominant, and the book's brief mentions of smart growth and new ways of designing feel largely extraneous to the business at hand. Thus, the 51-page chapter on suburban street design devotes two pages to pedestrians, and the list of suggested readings in the chapter on development patterns and principles includes no work published since 1990.
Book Description
Successfully navigate the confusing maze of land development If you're looking for cutting-edge blockbuster coverage of the land development process, the search ends here! Written by one of the nation's premier consulting firms, this new edition delivers up-to-date coverage of planning, engineering, and surveying . . . all with over 700 illustrations, including diagrams, detailed drawings, plats, and reports generated at the various design stages, as well as charts, tables, and more. This edition includes regulatory changes; new data on open space areas for landscape architects; coverage of the latest advances in GPS and GIS technology; new perspectives on urban growth; and updated case studies, plans, and details. You'll find a thorough description of the design and approval process for residential, commercial, and retail land development projects and access to valuable bottom-line information on:
* Environmental issues, including erosion and sediment control, storm water management, environmental impact studies and assessments, and water quality
* Types of local regulations; where to get necessary project approval; what to expect during the process
* Site analysis and selection criteria for feasibility studies
* Technical information on the design of suburban infrastructure components such as water treatment and supply systems, sanitary sewer systems, storm drain systems, and roads
* The complete spectrum of surveying methods, including Global Positioning System Surveys and Geographic Information Systems
Book Info
Delivers up to date coverage of planning, engineering, and surveying, including diagrams, detailed drawings, plats, and reports generated at the various design stages, as well as charts, tables, and more.
From the Back Cover
A "BIG PICTURE" VIEW OF THE INCREASINGLY COMPLEX LAND DEVELOPMENT PROCESS Once a relatively simple matter, land development has today become a complicated art and science unto itself, and one that has wide implications for entire urban economies. The many factors involved are enough the challenge the savviest engineer, planner, surveyor, architect, attorney, developer¿or any professional who must navigate the confusing maze the land development process has become. Written by one of the nation's premier consulting firms, this new edition delivers up-to-date coverage of planning, engineering, and surveying . . . all with over 700 illustrations, including diagrams, detailed drawings, plats, and reports generated at the various design stages, as well as charts, tables, and more. You'll find a thorough description of the design and approval process for residential, commercial, and retail land development projects and access to valuable bottom-line information on:
* Environmental issues, including erosion and sediment control, storm water management, environmental impact studies and assessments, and water quality
* Types of local regulations; where to get necessary project approval; what to expect during the process
* Site analysis and selection criteria for feasibility studies
* Technical information on the design of suburban infrastructure components such as water treatment and supply systems, sanitary sewer systems, storm drain systems, and roads
* The complete spectrum of surveying methods, including Global Positioning System Surveys and Geographic Information Systems COST ESTIMATING? If you're looking for cutting-edge blockbuster coverage of the land development process, the search ends here. NEW IN THE SECOND EDITION
* Regulation changes by FEMA, EPA, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and more
* New data on open space areas for landscape architects
* Coverage of the latest advances in GPS and GIS technology
* New perspectives on urban growth (Smart Growth as well as updated Development Types)
* Updated case studies, plans, and details
About the Author
THE DEWBERRY COMPANIES, headquartered in Fairfax, Virginia, started out as a six-person civil engineering company in 1956 serving the northern Virginia area. Since then the company has grown to a nationally known design firm with over 1,600 employees, 26 offices, an amazing array of people, resources, and capabilities. Dedicated to architecture, planning, and surveying, the Dewberry Companies is rated one of the top 100 land development firms in the United States by the ENR. Rating 4.0
very good all-around referenceI primarily work as a structural-architectural engineer and am becoming more and more involved in civil-site work. This handbook is exactly what I was looking for in terms of something that would quickly get me "up to speed" in the fundamentals of civil-site design.
Of course, no single book could (or should) be thought of as a substitute for the experience and mentoring received from seasoned professionals in a design office, but this one has enough technical explanation and details to get you going with confidence.
I choose this one over the Colley book (reviewed both before making purchase) as Land Development Handbook has more of the technical info that engineers would seek.Difficult to follow!I am in a class at Community College of Baltimore County and we are using this book at this time. Our whole class along with the Professor find this book to be very difficult to follow. The book constantly repeats itself making it extremely boring to read and is not fluent at all. They have examples that reference charts that are 3-5 pages apart from the problem being discussed the formulas you almost have to figure out for yourself how they are used and there are alot of typos.
I recomend burning this book!!!!!!!A Must Have PubEver since I purchased this publication I can't stop using it. Every civil engineer should have this as part of their reference library, regardless of your area of specialty. It provides macro to micro scale explanations of general processes, design applications, etc in a very readable format. More times than I can remember I have looked to this book for an answer or at least for some guidance and was throuroughly satisfied. No it is not a definitive reference for civil engineers but its' breadth and usability overshadows any technical shortcomings. If I had to have just one reference book for my area of practice (general civil), this would be it. Yeah, yeah, the "Standard Handbook for Civil Engineers" is a more definitive reference, but I usually find out what I need in this pub.ps - Almost everyone of my fellow employees that has used the book has purchased their own, find someone you know who has a copy and check it out for yourself. |
