DG 1110-3-146
Design Guide: Military Police Facilities
Criteria for Upgrading Existing Facilities: Establishing Design Requirements
December 1979
are often influenced by the physical development
easements or dedicated areas should generally re-
plans of these agencies. For example, cooperative or
flect the need for future building or site expansion.
supportive basis, that would lessen or obviate the
Existing landscaping or the new site planting which is
need for certain upgrading programs, or may in
identified as a project requirement should not unduly
effect determine the need for others. Opportunities to
obstruct the future development of dedicated areas.
develop shared-use facilities or to provide functional
Easements should provide accent and interest. This
assistance to certain activities should be identified
can be achieved by planting low to medium shrubs
prior to the improvement of existing obsolete facil-
adjacent to either new or existing walk areas. Possible
ities, especially where such opportunities may in-
expansion of existing or future facilities may dictate
fluence the location of MP facilities.
the need to relocate existing shrubs.
(3) Exceptions to Construction Criteria Excep-
(2) Buffer Zones Another area of the existing site
tions to specific construction criteria are usually pro-
which should be designated as an area unavailable
vided for by most project development procedures.
for construction activity is the general area adjacent to
However, exceptions to generally applicable con-
the project boundaries. Buffer zones or setbacks are
struction criteria or to local installation requirements
Important site-planning provisions that allow proper
governing site planning and design should be sought
breathing room and separate an existing facility from
only for projects where the primary objective of
adjacent uses. This is especially important for a mili-
achieving functional and operational effectiveness
tary police facility due to the nature of security and
would otherwise be significantly jeopardized. In gen-
confidential operations. The specific setback dis-
eral, such exceptions will be made only after review-
tances shown in the illustrative examples in Chapter 6
ing the merits of alternatives and the specific impact
of this guide should be considered as minimums and
that adherence to governing criteria would have on
not preferred distances. Preferred distances for re-
the accomplishment of essential project objectives.
habilitation/conversion projects should be as large
as existing conditions warrant, taking into consid-
eration the proximity and nature of adjacent uses and
5-6
the presence of existing trees or other plant material.
Establishing Design
Existing roadways and parking areas should be lo-
cated at a minimum of 20 feet from project bound-
Requirements
aries. Single story structures should maintain a
minimum separation of 60 feet. Where two-story
a. SITE-PLANNING CONSIDERATIONS Site-plan-
structures exist, they should be a minimum of 80 feet
ning requirements for individual projects are established
apart. Where one and two-story structures are adja-
on the basis of the physical development objectives
cent, they should be a minimum of 70 feet apart.
approved by the local using service. Generally, indi-
These minimum dimensions for buffer zones should
vidual site planning requirements can be identified by a
be observed where functional requirements do not
comprehensive survey of the existing conditions using
mandate an increase in physical separation. In-
project objectives and limitations as guidelines. Basic
creases in the minimum distance for separation
project limitations, however, may prohibit the achieve-
might be required where optimum locations are con-
ment of maximum site development standards. This is
strained by inappropriate or conflicting adjacent ac-
particularly true of rehabilitation work on designated
tivities that encroach upon the effectiveness of the
facilities occupied by MP activities. In most cases, loca-
operational environment.
tion constraints preclude major alterations to the layout
of existing site elements. Taking such constraints and
(3) Visual Approach Persons approaching a mili-
limitations into account, every effort must be made to
tary police facility by car normally view the building
achieve the highest possible standard in improving site-
from an oncoming angle of from 30 degrees to 45
planning. Site elements which usually require improve-
degrees, rather than from directly in front. An oppor-
ment include major points of vehicular and pedestrian
tunity to provide this oblique view of existing facil-
access, site circulation, and major overhead and under-
ities is necessary to give the appropriate advance
ground utility lines.
identification needed for turning into the entrance
drives. For this reason, the location of existing or
b. SITE ELEMENTS As shown in Figure 5-8, there
projected site elements such as parked cars, eye-
are several areas of an existing site which should be
level flowering trees, or groups of evergreen plant-
provided for but upon which little development should
ings that might obscure views of site signage or
occur. The following site elements are important for the
activity indicators located in these areas either should
open space which they represent:
be avoided or, if already existing, should be removed
(1) Easements Depending on the specific require-
to avoid obstruction of the visual approach. In addi-
ments for expansion and flexibility related to indi-
tion, groups of existing trees should be selectively
thinned and pruned to permit easy viewing of site
vidual rehabilitation/conversion projects, the design
information from on-site vantage points. Special at-
and development of site elements which provide
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