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.