Development Planning Process
Powered by GIS 

Presented by: Gene Hsieh, Gordon Robinson and Scott Armsworth   
FORMA Systems

Abstract

In a high octane real estate market condition, the private sector has discovered GIS as a way to gain an edge in today's competitive environment. Land owners, developers, and builders have embraced the versatility of GIS. FORMA Systems utilizes Esri's full suite of products from ArcInfo to ArcExplorer to manage and design the planning process within the development community.

The Long Road to a Home

A new home is still the number one dream and represents the largest investment for most Americans. The Development of New Communities and Homes is a long and complex process that involves numerous approvals from multi-layers of jurisdictions. In addition to the jurisdictional approvals needed, public support is a key aspect of development projects, and require presentations and interaction with Community Groups, Special Interest Groups, Homeowner Groups, and the local citizens.

As part of the project, data and studies from a diverse group of multi-disciplined teams is required to provide for a comprehensive development package to assure successful completion. Success is driven by the market to be financially viable, while responding to public benefits, open space, habitat and amenities to further enhance the quality of life for its future residents and surrounding communities.

Esri's GIS software provides a suite of powerful tools that can assist in the development process. These tools allow the development team to manage data, provide analysis for response to issues and questions, visualize the data in a user-friendly format, and assist in defining financial parameters and limits. The GIS tools provide the ability to communicate legal, environmental, and financial issues in a spatial context, that permits a greater understanding of the issues and their interrelationships. The tools together provide for increased credibility in the public and private interest by depicting complex issues in a format that makes the data more understandable.

Many Steps in the Journey

The road to development of New Communities and Homes is a long one that requires the successful completion of many tasks along the way. The first step is Land Management. The objectives are to document what are the existing conditions, and how will these conditions respond to future growth or expansion. Appropriate land uses need to be researched to avoid conflicts with adjacent land uses, and any existing on-site uses that will continue. GIS can be instrumental in this Land Management phase in Base Mapping, Habitat Monitoring and Preservation, Slope Analysis, and Conceptual Master Plan and Phasing Analysis. Using Esri's GIS software, inexpensive and useful base mapping data can be captured and processed to be used throughout the planning process. USGS is an excellent source for creating 3D landform topography, and conceptual plan views to visualize the land. Land use data is constructed from vegetation and habitat data and constraints using attributes to classify various land use types. The growth potential of the preliminary site can be determined visually from the results of the topography and land use studies.

Step Two is Site Selection and Project Definition. This step entails identifying the key constraints, selecting the specific areas for development, and identifying the necessary entitlements required for project completion. GIS applications that assist in the Site Selection phase include aerial imagery to analyze potential sites, topological overlays with land use, existing entitlements, constraints, and socio-economic analysis using spatial and demographic data. Aerial imagery plays an important part of this step as it provides a real world view of the land to define and select potential development sites. Using Lizardtech's MrSID Geospatial Encoder, the aerial imagery can be compressed from several Gigabytes to Megabytes making it more useful and manageable within Esri's GIS software. Producing topological overlays with existing land use, general plan land use, zoning information, and constraints is necessary for analyzing composite results and identifying potential sites. Esri's Business Analyst software is used with spatial and demographic data to create socio-economic analysis models. The Meyers Group and DataQuick companies provide detailed demographic data including real estate market information that proves to be a valuable asset for the socio-economic analysis within the site selection step.

Project Management in the development of New Communities and Homes is a major part of the development process. Successful management of data and coordination throughout the project team is essential for a successful project. GIS tools provide valuable assistance in data management and coordination and provide for coordinated project management. Esri's ArcIMS software provides the client and community with GIS Internet mapping tools to view, edit, query, and print spatial and tabular data. In addition to the GIS functions, other documents such as project schedules, progress, and team contact information can be posted and accessed within the ArcIMS Internet web site. Esri's ArcExplorer is a free application that gives the non-GIS user a tool for accessing the project GIS data, aerial imagery, and other CAD related files such as engineering drawings. This application and project data can be loaded onto a team member's laptop for quick access to data and aerial imagery.

The fourth step for development of New Communities and Homes is Entitlement Assessment. The objectives of this step are to identify existing layers of entitlement, determine planning implication for each layer, and summarize the amount of development permitted. GIS applications in entitlement assessment include documenting current entitlements (General Plan, Zoning Ordinances), calculating amount of development permitted, and summarizing results. GIS acts a tool combining the current entitlement data to calculate the number of units allowed within each entitlement. Using Esri's 3D and Spatial Analyst extensions, models including slope, line-of-sight, and visibility analysis can be created to assess the limits of development. These GIS analyses provide the results needed for entitlement assessment.

Encumbrance mapping is also required on the path of creating New Communities. Encumbrances, such as road and utility easements must be identified, mapped and analyzed to determine their impact on the project. GIS allows the user to map these encumbrances from a variety of sources and analyze the impact to the project and link this spatial data to parcel library documents. Esri's ArcView software is used to dynamically link the tabular parcel library with spatial data including parcels and land use. This process gives the client an interactive ability to view and analyze the extensive parcel library information with other spatial data within the GIS system.

Baseline information documentation is the sixth step in the development of New Communities and Homes. This includes the mapping of existing data, such as tree locations and sizes, drainage courses, and topography. Using Esri's ArcInfo TIN module or ArcView 3D Analyst, the baseline data can be constructed into 3D models displaying the landscape, trees, drainage, and topography in a real world scene. This information can then be analyzed in GIS to review impacts on various land use proposals, through the use of topological overlays and relational databases. Esri's ArcView software provides the relational database link needed to connect the baseline data and analyze environmental impacts. Environmental suitability can then be determined with this baseline information. Resources are analyzed to determine the most valuable, and areas are analyzed to determine the most developable. Weight factors can be applied to this data to determine the results. Spatial analysis can be used to make these determinations, and GIS mapping tools can be used to graphically represent this analysis in a coherent manner.

Once the baseline data and environmental suitability studies are completed, Alternative Development scenarios can be created and tested. GIS tools within Esri's ArcView software and extensions permit spatial analysis for alternative development programs, 3D Modeling, and Valuation Analyses to determine fiscal implications. These implications include calculating amenity levels, number of units based on slope, elevation, product type, view, and lot location of alternative development sites. Within Esri's ArcView software, these results are linked to spreadsheets and other applications to provide data for further analysis. This relational database linking brings the power of GIS to the client as it creates a superior querying environment for getting the answers needed during this alternative development step.

After analyzing the various alternatives, the next step is the development of the Preferred Plan. This step involves coordinating and converting data from the other team consultants and additional 3D modeling. GIS applications can be used for data conversion and 3D modeling and simulations, including terrain modeling, image draping, and view shed analysis. Esri's ArcInfo software provides the translation tools necessary to convert 3D CAD files into GIS coverages and shape files for use within the GIS system. This is a vital process for the development of the 3D models. Esri's ArcView 3D Analyst extension provides tools to create 3D models using draping techniques with aerial photography, conceptual plans, and illustrative drawings over the elevated topographic layers. ArcView 3D Analyst can also be used to create real world photo simulations to analyze the planned development using building structures within the 3D model.

A project proforma is then necessary to determine costs and to quantify costs reflective of plan changes and refinements. Applications are needed to create these cost analyses, dynamically link the spatial data with the tabular data, and produce spatial queries and reports. These applications are built using Esri's ArcView software. ArcView is a powerful tool that gives the developer a user-friendly GIS interface and strong linking capabilities to effectively manage costs related to plan changes.

Upon completion of the project proforma, an issues inventory of the issues is created along with solution alternatives. GIS applications can be used for slope analysis, 3D modeling, and creating presentation-quality maps and graphics. These tools can be used in a Community Outreach Program to provide community education, and solicit community input and support. As part of the Community Outreach Program, a website can be created utilizing the GIS graphics and data to provide another source of community education and input.

Entitlement Processing and Mitigation Monitoring both require tools to track requirements and link spatial and tabular data. Esri's ArcMap or ArcView software products are used to dynamically link the mitigation monitoring schedule to the planned development areas within the GIS data to provide a complete monitoring document containing mapping and reporting functionality. Within the GIS software, the GIS data can be linked to a web site for Internet publishing, spreadsheet, or images to be accessed from the entire project team. These tools are fundamental for cost effective and time responsive completion of the requirements necessary for development and construction of New Communities and Homes.

Upon completion of the Entitlement Processing and Mitigation Monitoring processes, a Sales Tracking Analysis and Reporting mechanism can be used to provide sales information during the build-out portion of the project. A database querying and reporting system can be customized on the developers computer system to allow for easy input and the quick generation of sales reports. This customized system can be created using Esri's MapObjects technology with Microsoft's Visual Basic programming environment to provide the developer with the tools needed to analyze the sales information using GIS tools and print the required reports. This combination of using GIS functions within a customized user interface gives the developer exceptional analyzing and sales reporting tools.

A Bright Future for GIS

GIS has a proven track record in the Development Community which has become more knowledgeable of and receptive of GIS. The economy and community concerns are requiring the development industry to be more efficient and resourceful for the successful completion of new communities. The public and private sectors must work together to address each others concerns to create these new communities. Esri software is developing and evolving to meet development industry needs and provide GIS tools that can be used for more in-depth analysis and create exhibits that depict the analysis in a easy to understand format. GIS has become the "Nitro" fuel to power the Development Data Engine of the 21^st Century and create a successful journey to the creation of New Communities.

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