Section 6Sec./Art. 6

Technical Guidelines. In determining whether an economic and socialized housing shall be allowed, the following guidelines shall be considered.

A. Suitability of Site

1. Physical Suitability

A potential site must have characteristics assuring healthful, safe and environmentally sound community life. It shall be stable enough to accommodate foundation load without excessive site works. Critical areas (e.g., areas subject to flooding, lands slides and street) must be avoided.

2. Slope

Flat to rolling terrain (0 to 5%) are preferable but housing development may take place up to 15% slopes, with flat lands (below 5%) for high density development and sloping area (5-15%) for low to medium density development. The latter slopes, however, should be capable of being developed for habitation at reasonable cost with assurance of stability for vertical construction.

3. Availability of basic needs

The prioritized basic needs cited earlier shall preferably be available within reasonable distance from the project site, but where these are not available, the same shall be provided for by the developer.

4. Conformity with the Zoning Ordinance or Land Use Plan of the City/Municipality

Generally, housing projects should conform with the Zoning Ordinance of the city/municipality where they are located. However, where there is no Zoning Ordinance or Land Use Plan, the dominant land use principle and site suitability factors cited herein shall be used in determining suitability of a project to a site.

Furthermore, if the project is undoubtedly supportive of other land uses and activities, (e.g., housing for industrial workers) said project shall be allowed.

B. Allowance for future development

Project design should consider not only the reduction of cost of development to a minimum but also provision for possible future improvement or expansion, as in the prescription of lot sizes, rights-of-way of roads, open space, allocation of areas for common uses and facilities.

C. Land Allocation

1. Saleable and non-saleable are

There shall be no fixed ratio between saleable portion and non-saleable portion of a subdivision project.

2. Area allocated for Circulation System

The area allocated for the circulation system shall not be fixed, as long as the prescribed dimension and requirements for access (to both the project site and to dwelling units) specified in these Design Standards are complied with.

3. Area allocated for community facilities

Sites for community facilities shall be reserved or allocated by the developer, where such facilities may be constructed/put up the Homeowners Association as the need arises. Said sites shall be used exclusively for these facilities as defined in Rule II, and the area shall be exclusive of that area intended for park/playground.

The area allocated for community facilities shall vary with the density of the subdivision, i.e., number of lots and/or living units whichever is applicable, as shown in Table I.

Table 1

Required Area for Community Facilities According to Density

No. of lots and/or living units Areas for Community Facilities per ha.

% of gross area of subdivision

150 and below

1%

151 to 225

1.5%

above 225

2.0%

Community facilities shall be centrally located where they can serve maximum member of population, preferably near or side by side the park/playground.

4. Area allocated for Park/Playground

Provision for park/playground is required in all cases.

Allocation of areas for parks and playgrounds shall be exclusive of those allocated for community facilities and shall vary according to the density of lots and/or living units in the subdivision, whichever is applicable, as shown in Table 2.

Table 2

Required Area for Park/Playground According to Density

Area for Park/Density Playground

No. of lots and/or living area of units per hectare

% of gross subdivision

150 and below

3.5

151 to 225

7.0

above 225

9.0

Location of parks shall be based on hierarchy, accessibility and shall be free from hazard, risks, barriers, etc.

Landscaping (sodding and tree-planting) shall be done by the subdivision developer/owner.

Minimum size for a pocket park is 100 square meters.

D. Integration of project site with adjacent property and to the total development context of the city/municipality.

Land allocation and alignment of the various utilities (roads, drainage, power and water) of the subdivision should align and be integrated with those of existing networks as well as projects outside the boundaries of the project site, e.g., access roads (road connecting project site to the nearest public road) should follow the standard specification of the MPWH.

Hierarchy of roads (with respect to function and dimensions) shall be observed when planning the road network within the project site such that no major or minor road align with an alley or footpath.