Patent of Subdivision Plan

[donk]

Having read the news story and visited the US patent Office


I can't figure out what this will look like on a piece of paper or why someone should be granted a patent.

comments of help appreciated.

 

[BKM]

Because it is such an earthshaking exemplar of suburban design. Out here in the west, developers are just chomping at the bit to build 'em.

And, our Public Works Department loves the narrow one-way streets and curlicue circulation pattern. After all, we can't horrors, be within 20 feet of our neighbors!

 

[donk]

I was able to see teh picture after getting teh viewer to download.

How would you name streets and address houses in this subdivision.

its crazier looking then the giant magic traffice circle that has been posted elsewhere.

Why does this deserve a patent?

 

[Wannaplan?]

Ingenious!

Remarkable!

 

[Cardinal]

I note that:

1) There is only one means of ingress/egress into the subdivision, with no connectivity to adjoining development.

2) The ratio of paved road are to buildable area seems very high.

3) There is not much usable undeveloped land. With one housing syle, there are small backyards (common yard?) and with the other there is only a front yard. The space in the smaller circles may not be suitable for much more than planting one deciduous shade tree (white ash), three conifers (black hills spruce) and three or four shrubs (American highbush cranberry).

4) It would be a nightmare to navigate and maintain. Think of someone visiting for the first time, or the poor guy who has to plow the snow. OK, so Californians may not to worry about plowing snow. Try driving this after dropping acid.

5) Where are the sidewalks?

 

[donk]

Having read the entire patent, the designer states that multiple entrances are possible.

He also uses technical terms like "crammed in there" in teh description.

other comments - what about civic addressing?

 

[PlannerGirl]

Can someone send me the text i cant get the link to work. i was talking to Scott (boyfriend) and hes an IP atty that deals with this sorta stuff. we are both quite curious.

Thanks!
PG

 

[donk]

PG, I'll see if I can save the screens for you. I'll contact you off board

 

[donk]

here is a zip file of a word document of the text, no pictures.

 

[Jeff]

Let me just tell you from my experience that designing the utlities for this is going to be a nightmare.

Pipes are straight!

Or, judging by that picture, you are going to have a utility easement the runs right down the middle of the development, thus, deed restrciting all the backyards, ripping up backyard when something goes wrong, etc.

The streets are going to have inlets everywhere because the water is going to pond up at every circle intersection. Grading the raods is going to be a nightmare, you are never going to get all the water out based on that layout, thus, if you build these where it gets cold you are going to have icy intersections.

 

[PlannerGirl]

yes i agree with Mike this is not gonna fly around these parts, god what a mess.

what the heck are you going to do with storm water? the BUA on this site is out the roof. cute idea on paper but not real functional never mind folks in the good ole USA would freak trying to drive in the damn thing.

god my head hurts looking at it
d

 

[PlannerGirl]

can someone make a pic of the overall layout not just a small part and send to me or post so i can print it and play with it?


Thanks!
PG

 

[donk]

here is an image of the plan

 

[donk]

a close up of 1 circle

 

[mike gurnee]

It makes for a cute maze puzzle. It is reminiscent of some utopian town plans from the late 1800s.

 

[Jeff]

That looks all well and good on paper, but someone needs to tell this guy he needs to realize that survey stakeout is done in straight lines.

He is going to need millions of stakes for the roads alone. His surveying fees are going to turn these into million dollar houses!

And also, I'll tell you right now, no matter how cute your horizontal curves look on the plans when they are designed, no contractor is ever going to build exactly what is on the plans. They cut corners every way they can to save money on materials. There is way to much room for things to be fudged in that layout, as well as alot to screw up.

 

[jestes]

I am guest lecturing at a Community Infrastructure class tomorrow discussing subdivision development. How in the world did you get the images to download in anything other than that frustrating quicktime format. I would love to be able to bring along some images with me. Please help.