Spatial Tool (Geographic Information Systems)

A Geographic Information System (GIS) is a tool that connects databases to maps. It combines layers of information about where things are located with descriptive data on information such as locations, roads and parcel sizes all stored digitally in the system in layers called themes. The GIS has revolutionised planning as planners are now able to capture, store, manipulate, manage and present data efficiently and effectively. There are two types of data that the GIS can contain vector data and roster data.

Vector data contains information about points, lines or polygons. Points represent benches, lights e.g. physical items, lines represent streets, water, electrical and sewer lines and polygons represent parcels of land, buildings and landscaped areas.

Roster data on the other hand contains information about the earth’s geographic features which are stored in cells and represent land use, vegetation, slope, elevation and aspect.

GIS Functions:

Query by Location - that is it can search any point within a polygon radius.

Query by Attribute - which is a search on data stored in the hardware e.g. identifying parcels of land and their owners.

Boolean Queries- which are a combination of query by location and query by attribute. E.g. the software could find all parcels less than 0.5 acres in size owned by people with the last name smith.

Buffers- Geographic regions that can depict spheres of influence and areas that are more significantly impacted by a given phenomenon e.g. a flood. 

Measuring Distance- Can calculate how far things are apart (distance) both straight and curved lines. 

Overall the introduction of the GIS has reshaped planning allowing planners to gather and interpret data and make decisions that maximise the potential of cities and inevitability will be the future of all planning decisions.

Metropolitian Regions

A metropolitan area is a combination of urban agglomerations that consists of a densely populated urban core that encompasses multiple jurisdictions and cities that share various infrastructure, services, housing and employment resources.  Metropolitan regions are also described as matrixes of developments that extend over wide areas and include many centres. A major metropolitan region that is discussed throughout the reading is the highly urbanised north-eastern sea bored of the United States which is a major metropolitan area that stretches from Boston to Washington in a 600 mile continuous corridor. This mass agglomeration is possible as the enormous region which is dominated by several older cities and masses of suburban development is linked by a modern and efficient rail and highway system which is used by the communities to commute to services and employment in major cities in the region such as Boston and Washington. Another major metropolitan area in the United States is the San Francisco metropolitan area often referred to as the Bay Area which includes urban areas such as the city of San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose and is home to about 7.15 million people within 9 counties.

                                                    San Francisco Bay Area:

Negatives of the Metropolitan Region:

New developments on the urban fringe are a modern and common practice in emerging and expanding metropolitan regions as business and services relocate to the urban fringe for the convenience and to be closer to the people who live in these areas. This however leads to negative trends such as the abandonment of older inner city developments which than become an eyesore on the city whilst also leaving land to be vacant, and not efficiently used. Over the next generation the traditional city centre will no longer be the only venue were business, finance, cultural and entertainment events occur as increasingly these will be dispersed to other parts of the Metropolitan region, closer to where patrons and residents live. The extent of the negative impact this will have on the inner city is unknown and whether to continue expanding metropolitan’s at the cost of the once vibrant urban inner city centre is a debatable issue were a correct answer currently is unknown. I believe although it is necessary for a portion of services to be close to the outer suburbs the inner city should be consolidated and never left to be run down but a vibrant area for business and tourism.

Town Plan - “How to Make a Town”

This week’s reading “How to Make a Town Plan” explores the key principles urban designers and planners follow to create communities that blend the natural and built environment, enhance vitality and increase the pleasure and comfort of its residents.

The following are principals that should be followed to achieve the above goals:

Regional Considerations:  Ideally growth should be located within a regional plan that seeks to limit car usage and preserve open space. Any growth should also be adjacent to existing development and close to transit stops.

Mixed Use Development: Ideally every neighbourhood should be designed with an even balance of residents and jobs. There also needs to be adequate mixture of land uses e.g. commercial, residential. However fully integrated mixed communities take time and is a continual process.

Connectivity: Neighbourhoods must connect wherever practically possible, especially between residential areas. Highways approaching neighbourhoods should not intersect as this breaks up the connectivity between areas and therefore should skirt around.

Making the Most of a Site: Natural features such as waterfronts, hillsides, wetlands and trees should be preserved on a site as they add to property value and character.

Discipline of the Neighbourhood: Most new traditional towns are designed around a 5 min measure. High density surrounds the centre and as you move further out density should decrease.

Making Transit Work: Transit must be frequent and predictable, must follow a route that is direct and stops must be safe, dry and dignified.

Streets: Travel lanes should be no wider than 10 ft. to reduce speed and create a safe environment.

Buildings: Private buildings must also have a manner which contributes to pedestrian life. Setbacks are 10ft in the neighbourhood centre, 30ft neighbourhood edge and there are no setbacks for retail outlets allowing them to engage the public.

Parking: An essential rule of thumb with parking is to provide no more off-street parking than can be concealed behind buildings, and no more buildings than that amount of parking can support.

These principals all contribute to making a town that meets the needs of all members of society.  

The Master Plan

The Master Plan which Charles .M. Haar’s article focuses on this week is defined in simple terms as a document with general descriptions of the city for the future which is accompanied and supported  by plans, maps and charts covering aspects of the city including its streets, public buildings, utilities and open space all under zoning accordance. The modern day Master Plan in general is intended to guide development for the proposed city for at least 10 – 20 years  with the intention to guide local decisions on public and private uses of land , as the well as the provision of public facilities. It is a process that defines what is important about a place and how its character and quality can be conserved, improved and enhanced. In Canberra for example the ACTPLA Australian Capital Territory Planning and Land Authority prepares all master plans for Canberra currently focusing on future transport corridors and unused land adjacent to town centres. This is evident in the Canberra City Action Plan document 2010 – 2014 which outlines the intentions for the Civic area in terms of land were unused land along the Lake Burley foreshore is being proposed to be developed into residential and commercial developments as a priority for the coming years.

The Master Plan is used as a first reference to planner’s and is vital in assisting planners in creating specific plans of areas through six major contributions.

1.   As a source of Information.
2.   A program for Correction.
3. An estimate of the Future.
4. An Indicator of Goals.
5.  A technique for Coordination.
6.  And a device for stimulating public Interest.

The Master Plan’s main purpose and contribution however is that of mutual education that is the planner learns from people who are involved in the development of the plan which in turn leads to planning that meets the public interests. In terms of planning this is key as a planner’s role is to mediate with the public.

 Is 15-20 years too long for a master plan to guide planning decisions? This is a debatable question that I put forward to all you bloggers out there.