The Northern Kentucky Area Planning Commission (NKAPC) is responsible for developing a twenty-year planned land use study for Kenton County, Kentucky, and updating that plan every five years. Presently the commission is updating that plan. Located in the Cincinnati, Ohio, metro area, Kenton County is a dynamic community of 145,000 people in twenty-one cities in both an urban and rural setting. As the lead agency of a five-member GIS consortium, the NKAPC is able to utilize a detailed GIS database containing planimetric, cadastral, sewer, and demographic information to identify subjects to be addressed in the land use plan.The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the commission is utilizing ArcInfo GIS and other information technology, such as database and statistical software products, to better analyze the large amount of data available to allow professional planners and appointed planning commissioners to make the most informed decisions they can and also to allow for the continuous monitoring of the effectiveness of the land use plan update.
GIS technology is being used to plan and manage the build-up part of a city infrastructure; however, the natural elements of this urban ecosystem have not been adequately incorporated into this process. The value of urban trees for storm water management, energy conservation, or air quality, for example, are not part of the decision making equation. This condition is rapidly changing. American Forests has developed a technique to map and analyze and put a dollar value on urban ecosystems. The technique, called Urban Ecological Analysis, creates a GIS map that integrates into the land use planning process.The Urban Ecological Analysis technique has been conducted in five U.S. cities. ArcInfo and ArcView software have been used for mapping and analyzing urban ecological data sets. In recent months a new ArcView application called CITYgreen was developed to streamline the Urban Ecological Analysis technique. This application will allow local people to participate in analyzing the value of their community ecosystems. It will also give them a platform for discussing community management and development issues with community leaders. The potential value of an urban ecosystem is substantial. Using data from the five cities, we estimate the total value produced by the urban ecosystem nationally is around $40 billion.
As urban development envelops the rural landscape, issues concerning preservation and development potential arise as factors for various planning strategies. As vacant land steadily decreases, how much land should be set aside for either development or preservation? Environmental, as well as human, factors influence decisions concerning where development or nondevelopment will locate. This paper will determine where vacant land parcels exist throughout Cabarrus County, North Carolina, and analyze development potential of those vacant parcels (high/medium/low) according to soil and floodplain data. Thus, from this environmental analysis, and from existing human factors of county zoning classifications, major thoroughfares, water and sewer lines, and railway, the determination of "usable vacant land" will be derived for development potential. "Usable vacant land" is defined as locations that possess high development potential and are within the human criteria for immediate development. Is there enough existing "Usable vacant land" located where the human factors can easily exploit the development potential of vacant land? Locations of such parcels are essential for the economic vitality of the county. Therefore, planning strategies will have to decide either to expedite change, to open more opportunities for development potential, or preserve land for future generations.Cabarrus County is located northeast and adjacent to Mecklenburg County/City of Charlotte. The county, especially on the western edge bordering Charlotte, has been experiencing major population growth and development. This data will not only aid in more efficient development strategies but will also enhance the understanding of surrounding landscapes.