Land Suitability Analysis

This module is part of a pilot project. Please select the evaluation link at the end of this StoryMap to provide your feedback on these materials.

This is part three of a four-part educational module, Planning for Early Care and Education, focused on the connection between early care and education, environmental health, and planning. Select the links at the bottom of the Story for links to other sections.

In this section, participants will learn about:

• Site selection criteria
• Resources for site identification
• The relationship between site planning processes and collected information
• Opportunities to engage in a systematic site review process

Planners have opportunities to identify land suitable for redevelopment and ECE facilities. When a community is undertaking a plan-making process, planners can share information to identify locations best suited for development and ECE programs. As part of development work, planners can provide recommendations to developers or ECE operators to select a site that meets the needs of the community and the project team. Further, planners can collaborate with stakeholders, including environmental health professionals, to provide guidelines for site suitability and implement criteria that address environmental health through planning strategies, permitting processes, and voluntary programs.

One approach that can be used to compare options for redevelopment is a site selection process. This multistep process analyzes site information, community context, and environmental conditions to inform development decisions. Planners can engage in the site selection process for public infrastructure development or in conjunction with developers focusing on projects that are privately funded. In some communities, planners can also engage in a site selection process during plan making, particularly when it comes to developing functional or subarea plans.

This section will focus on the site selection process, including data collection and analysis. These methods of analysis can be applied during a site review process, at a selected site, or through community-wide initiatives, such as planning processes, local ordinances, or programmatic strategies. Analyzing potential site locations is key for selecting sites that are safer for development. 

The primary purpose of a site selection process is to assess how potential ECE sites can meet the community’s and project owner’s criteria so that the site contributes to a well-functioning ECE program and community. Site selection processes will vary depending on local conditions, project goals, and budgetary constraints. It is reasonable to include environmental health considerations during site selection and when siting ECE facilities, given the importance of environmental health to children. Poor environmental conditions can have significant impacts on ECE programs if the conditions are discovered after program is operational. Figure 3 illustrates the site selection process and highlights how data collection and analysis play a role in identifying a suitable location for ECE programming. Through a variety of planning interventions, planners can encourage developer and ECE operators to incorporate environmental health considerations that support thoughtful site selection.

The site selection process allows planners and stakeholders to systematically assess potential sites that are available. Further, planners can encourage ECE operators to take a more systematic approach to ensure that environmental health considerations are incorporated into the site selection process.

Step 1: At the start of a project, a project owner or ECE operator defines the purpose of the project by determining objectives and requirements for site selection, which can include environmental health requirements. This process may be different for ECE operators seeking to lease a space in an existing building. An ECE operator might look for a reasonably priced building that is located near transportation systems, has outdoor space, and is free of major environmental health hazards. These objectives and requirements are shaped by a developer or ECE operator and real estate development activities (LaGro 2013).

Step 2: After establishing objectives, a developer can identify site selection criteria for both the site and surrounding conditions. This can be informed by policies or programs established at the local, regional, or state level.

Steps 3 and 4: Data collection and analysis take place when comparing multiple sites (Step 3) and is followed by a site suitability analysis (Step 4), where site attributes are compared to the criteria identified in Step 2. Environmental health criteria can be integrated during this step of the process, especially for developments that plan to serve as ECE programs.

Steps 5 and 6: After potential sites are reviewed, they are evaluated and ranked based on criteria. Finally, once a client selects a location, the site may undergo a feasibility study that includes a market analysis and understanding of site conditions.

In addition to general site selection guidance, Sussman and Larson (2006) provide a sample site assessment  checklist for selecting an ECE site . This checklist provides a range of considerations for ECE sites, including guidance about environmental health considerations. It also discusses site characteristics, such as convenience for families (including proximity to homes, transportation options, and additional neighborhood resources), site suitability (distance from hazardous characteristics, perception of safety), and zoning. Using a site selection process or assessment checklist can help ensure that ECE operators are analyzing conditions that influence ECE program quality, including environmental health considerations. 

Considerations for school siting that can be applied to ECE programs are identified in a report by Rhode Island Legal Services,  Not In My Schoolyard: Avoiding Environmental Hazards at School Through Improved School Site Selection Policies . This resource illustrates how siting can impact children and provides an overview of state-level policies related to school site selection. It also includes model language for a school site selection, references for construction projects, and sample maps that identify school location and contaminated sites. 

3.2 Indicators and Data

Communities interested in implementing ECE siting criteria can develop and use indicators, such as access to a public water system, to find suitable locations. Once site criteria indicators are chosen, additional data can then be collected. The site selection process includes gathering and analyzing available data about the site and community. Data can be used for comparing possible sites and for taking a more in-depth look at a single site. This section will describe indicators that can be used in the site selection process and further outline the data collection process, including data types and useful data sources.

3.2.1 Indicators for Site Selection

People conducting a site analysis may need different information depending on the types of site criteria indicators identified for the project. As outlined in Section 2, there are several guides that list the site characteristics to consider for developing an ECE program. These existing guides may lack some of the characteristics related to chemical contaminants that can have adverse effect on children’s health. ECE program site selection could incorporate indicators that would reduce exposure to hazardous conditions. Table 3 identifies a few environmental health indicators that can be considered to encourage safer site selection for ECE programs. A site selection process that incorporates these considerations can encourage quality ECE programs that promote environmental health and complement community development strategies.

3.2.2 Data for Site Analysis

Site analysis is dependent on available data. Before planners can begin to compare site characteristics, they can collect information about a site, as well as community context. A data-informed site selection process can greatly influence the health of those using the ECE program. The site selection process is often coordinated by a variety of planning and design professionals. During this process, planners should make sure to identify potential environmental issues that can have adverse impacts on children’s health.

When compiling information for GIS, it is important to note that information can come from many sources with different levels of availability. Local data can be publicly available online, while some data may have to be requested from appropriate entities, such as a municipality or county department. Typically, such data is the most cost-effective and accurate (including GIS) for local use. However, some data can be proprietary and may need to be purchased.

Planners can use various methods to collect current and historic site information including gathering information from a variety of sources that inform new or previous site uses (AAP, APHA, and NRC 2019; Rhode Island Legal Services 2006; Russ 2009; USGBC 2007). Table 4 identifies provides examples of sources of information, as well as recommendations on where to find information.

At the national level, several resources are available online, including resources from the EPA about contaminated sites. The  Set It Up Safe: Planning Tool  identifies a set of criteria that should be considered when selecting a site (ATSDR 2017). This resource organizes sources of information by method of contamination, including former uses, nearby sites, naturally occurring contamination, and safe drinking water. 

Another source of environmental data can be ESAs. In most cases of commercial and industrial land purchases, banks and real estate companies may require an environmental site assessment to understand if there are risks associated with a land purchase. A Phase I assessment, the most commonly required assessment by lenders before a development project, uses readily available information to determine if a site may be contaminated (Russ 2009). This type of assessment focuses on existing information and some new information, mostly gathering from publicly available information, site visits, and interviews. If a Phase I assessment identifies that a site is possibly contaminated, prospective buyers can proceed to a Phase II environmental assessment, which often means testing site conditions for those potential contaminants. ECE operators who own a parcel can work with previous owners to identify this information, or they may complete site assessments before purchasing land. ECE programs that rent spaces from building owners may not have this information readily available. Planners can work with environmental health professionals to identify opportunities that would allow an ECE operator to request this information from a site owner before establishing a program.

A site visit can provide context and additional site information that may not be captured in documents. Planners may need to conduct a site visit when a site plan is submitted for development review. The purpose of a site visit during a development review process is to confirm that a site application captures site conditions, to assess surrounding land uses for incompatibility, and to identify special sites that could implement policies or proposals identified in planning documents, such as spaces for stormwater retention or public art (Meck 2005). In the case of proposed ECE programs, these site visits could be expanded to include environmental health considerations, such as evidence of previous incompatible land uses, surrounding site conditions, and naturally occurring contamination. Site visits can provide qualitative and quantitative information that could help determine if a site is safe for an ECE program.

Additionally, the USGBC identifies considerations for school site selection as part of their LEED for Schools Rating System. Although ECE programs serve a younger population than schools, these considerations can still be applied to ECE programs. The program requires a Phase I Environmental Site Assessment as a prerequisite to identify a sustainable site (USGBC 2007). Additional attributes focus on encouraging community sustainability, including avoiding building on prime farmland and on previously underdeveloped land near bodies of water.

3.3 Analysis and Evaluation

During the data analysis step, the data collected is used to identify the best options for potential sites. The dominant project criteria are applied progressively to identify a shortlist of potential sites, showing maximum potential for optimizing the project’s requirements. At the outset, the site selection team applies a basic criterion that any site must satisfy. Further, the site suitability evaluation process applies threshold criteria to examine, compare, and rank site attributes across each potential site.

3.3.1 Analyzing Potential Sites

Various tools can help analyze information, including GIS and scenario planning. Once site selection criteria (see Section 2 for desirable and undesirable site attributes) have been identified, a site selection team can use data to identify available options and to assess suitability of different sites. GIS can be used to evaluate and select ideal sites (Steps 3 and 4 in Figure 3). GIS analysis reveals patterns and relationships by integrating multiple layers and data types to help planners make informed decisions. Once the data is collected, GIS can be used to explore the collected spatial data, model different scenarios (based on selected the criteria) and analyze data layers to understand how both desirable and undesirable site characteristics relate to one another. GIS can also be used to weight those layers to emphasize features that are most important to project. Child Care Aware of America provides  examples of ECE progam  and hazard information using maps. Examples of the hazards they identify include tornadoes, earthquakes, and power sources that could pose threats to children (Child Care Aware of America n.d.). Similarly, maps that depict previous and current incompatible land uses can help planners encourage ECE development in areas that are safer for children. Section 3.2 describes geospatial analysis techniques to compare potential sites with environmental health conditions.

When considering ECE program availability across a community, scenario planning can play an important role in identifying opportunities for community-wide improvements. Planners can also use the scenario planning capability of GIS in the ECE planning process. Scenario planning encourages communities to consider how different social, physical, environmental, and economic factors can result in different outcomes. Scenarios can explore what the future may look like if conditions remain the same (normative), continue on existing trends (predictive), or change in the future (exploratory) (Chakraborty and McMillan 2015). While site conditions and the surrounding environment influences ECE siting decision, a new ECE program may also have an impact on the surrounding built environment and community. Scenario planning tools can be used to model this impact. Moreover, planners can incorporate ECE considerations when developing scenarios for plans.

3.3.2 Threshold Criteria

Once a site selection team has selected indicators and gathered available data, an evaluation process can help determine the best fit for a development. The perfect location (i.e., one that fulfills all site selection criteria) may not be available. ECE operators and planners should strive to select sites that are the best among all candidate sites. This process provides an opportunity for communities to understand where access to ECE programs would best serve a community.

Threshold criteria refers to “critical site and contextual attributes that aid in screening potential sites” (LaGro 2013).

During the site suitability evaluation (Step 4 of Figure 3), site attributes can be assessed using threshold criteria that highlight environmental conditions for safer ECE programs. Planners can use a quantitative scale to rank potential sites. A rating scale can provide a uniform approach to recording site suitability. Applying quantitative measures allows for comparison across multiple areas and provides an opportunity to give more weight to key site selection criteria. In the case of ECE programs, more weight may be given to site attributes that prevent exposure to chemicals or to desirable attributes such as clean water. In Tennessee, the Germantown Municipal School District created a  site selection rubric  that weighs different criteria, including safety, location, and accessibility through a quantitative scale, then applies weights for criteria that are more important (Germantown Municipal School District Board of Education n.d.). Factors identified as part of safety criteria include contaminants in soil and groundwater, proximity to roadways with high traffic volumes, and proximity to high-pressure lines. A similar scoring method can be used by comparing ECE program site selection criteria using quantitative methods.

Select the link below to learn more about weighted overlay using ArcMap.

Criteria for site selection can include proximity to features in the community. Spatial data, such as location of a potential source of contamination, provides some information about environmental health risks; however, whether a feature is important for a site might not always be best determined by distance. Applying local knowledge can provide information that may not be recorded in site records. Residents may be familiar with site histories that are otherwise not recorded. Table 5 identifies recommended distances to buffer residences from pollutants (Forsyth, Salomon, and Smead 2017). Although these recommendations apply to residences, they could also serve as guides for siting ECE programs.

For a list of former or adjacent site activities that can be associated with chemical contaminants, see Section 2. It includes a list of commercial, industrial, and transportation-related land uses that may impact environmental health.

State-level agencies in Pennsylvania mapped multiple potentially contaminating land uses, including small quantity generator (SQG) facilities, brownfields, and National Priorities List (NPL) sites. By applying a 200-foot buffer from SQG facilities, a 1/8 mile buffer from brownfields and NPL sites, and then intersecting this information with ECE program locations, they identified ECE programs that may be exposed to contaminants (ATSDR 2017). This type of analysis could be applied to sites available for redevelopment to identify safer spaces for ECE development.

In Summary

ECE programs can benefit from using a data-driven approach to select future sites that promote environmental health. A site selection process can ensure that sites for new ECE programs are systematically reviewed, compared, and the most suitable site is selected. Data plays a large role in making sure that ECE operators and developers are equipped to compare alternatives and make informed site selections. Planners can facilitate this process by identifying areas that are suitable for developments or meet environmental health conditions that can support healthy ECE programs. Indicators can not only point out desirable and undesirable site characteristics but can also be compared using quantitative approaches and geospatial analysis techniques. These processes can benefit from engaging multidisciplinary perspectives. In collaborative settings, planners can encourage stakeholders to apply strategies for implementing healthier ECE programs.

Your feedback is important to us. Please complete the evaluation below to help improve this tool.

•  Part 1: Planning and Environmental Health With A Focus on Early Care and Education 
•  Part 2: Environmental Health Considerations for Siting ECE Programs 
•  Part 3: Land Suitability Analysis 
•  Part 4: Safe Siting in Hurricane-Affected Areas