Integration of Planning Documents into a Spatial Decision Support System: Practical Applications for a

Forgotten Element

William J. Gribb

Paddington Hodza

Jeffrey Hamerlinck

Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center

University of Wyoming

Introduction

• City and County planning offices deal with land development proposals on a daily basis.

• Generally, there will be a land development guideline that establish the steps/stages that the land developer has to follow and receive approval.

• The development review board examines the proposal and compares it to the local planning documents, ordinances, and regulations and approvals/disapprovals are registered.

• Public input about the development is also solicited and compiled.

• Eventually, the development is examined by the planning commission and ultimately the city council or county commission.

Problem

• Spatial Decision Support Systems have generally neglected local planning documents, ordinances and regulations.

• Assume that decisions are based on logical analysis of geo-referenced data and the results of modeling

• A new housing development identifies a location and wants to build an apartment complex.

• Two key questions:

• Does Laramie need another apartment complex?

• What are the pros/cons for the location selected for the apartment complex?

Utilization of SDSS

• Two Major Uses

• 1. Determine Potential Locations of a Facility based on Modeling and Spatial Analysis

• 2. Determine the Advantages/Disadvantages of Locating a Facility at a Specific Location based on Modeling and Spatial Analysis

Spatial Decision Support System (SDSS)

• Designed to provide solutions for complex spatial problems

SDBMS Analytic Models

USER

End Products

Basic Model

(Densham, 1991)

Database Management

System

Report Generator

Display Generator

Model Base Management

System

Generate & Evaluate

Alternatives

Alternative Selected

User Interface

Complex SDSS Model

(Malczewski, 1999)

Academic Research in SDSS

• The normalization condition is expressed analytically as:

• m j=1p(wj)wj = 1, wj > 0, 0 ≤ p(wj) ≤ 1, (5)

• The ProMAA algorithm can also utilize probability distributions of criteria utilities and weight coefficients for assessing probabilities of “likely rank events” (where events are associated with metrics in our decision problem) based on pairwise comparison of alternatives in an integrated scale. In this case realizations of ProMAA are based on numerical approximation of functions of random variables and numerical assessment of integrals (Yatsalo, 2011). “Rank acceptability indices” are the output of ProMAA.

(Convertino et al., 2013)

Database Management

System

Report Generator

Display Generator

Model Base Management

System

Generate & Evaluate

Alternatives

Alternative Selected

User Interface

Precedence

Planning Doc.

System

Housing in Laramie

HOUSING OCCUPANCY

Total housing units 14,307 100.0

Occupied housing units 13,394 93.6

Vacant housing units 913 6.4

For rent 334 2.3

Rented, not occupied 26 0.2

For sale only 101 0.7

Sold, not occupied 29 0.2

For seasonal, recreational, or occasional use 97 0.7

All other vacants 326 2.3

Homeowner vacancy rate (percent) [8] 1.6 ( X )

Rental vacancy rate (percent) [9] 4.3 ( X )

(http://factfinder2.census.gov)

Housing Characteristics

OUSING TENURE

Occupied housing units 13,394 100.0

Owner-occupied housing units 6,014 44.9

Population in owner-occupied housing units 14,142 ( X )

Average household size of owner-occupied units 2.35 ( X )

Renter-occupied housing units 7,380 55.1

Population in renter-occupied housing units 14,498 ( X )

Average household size of renter-occupied units 1.96 ( X )

(http://factfinder2.census.gov)

Laramie Population Structure Estimate +/- error Percent +/- error

Total population 30,728 +/-22 30,728 (X)

Male 15,847 +/-206 51.6% +/-0.7

Female 14,881 +/-207 48.4% +/-0.7

Under 5 years 1,752 +/-76 5.7% +/-0.2

5 to 9 years 1,323 +/-139 4.3% +/-0.5

10 to 14 years 1,240 +/-148 4.0% +/-0.5

15 to 19 years 3,666 +/-242 11.9% +/-0.8

20 to 24 years 7,259 +/-273 23.6% +/-0.9

25 to 34 years 5,212 +/-268 17.0% +/-0.9

35 to 44 years 2,953 +/-160 9.6% +/-0.5

45 to 54 years 2,643 +/-171 8.6% +/-0.6

55 to 59 years 1,266 +/-199 4.1% +/-0.6

60 to 64 years 1,157 +/-226 3.8% +/-0.7

65 to 74 years 1,188 +/-152 3.9% +/-0.5

75 to 84 years 693 +/-127 2.3% +/-0.4

85 years and over 376 +/-126 1.2% +/-0.4

Median age (years) 25.1 +/-0.4 (X) (X)

(http://factfinder2.census.gov/American Community Survey08-12)

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

3000

3500

4000

4500

5000

1 2 3 4 5 6 >6

City of Laramie, Persons Per Household, 2010

Utilization of a GIS / Spatial Decision Support System • Static Spatial Data

• Dynamic Spatial Data

• Non-Spatial Data

• Create Indicators/Metrics:

• Transformation of Planning Documents into Decision Entities

• Transformation of Ordinances, Regulations and Policies into Decision Entities

Converting Planning Documents into SDSS

• Key Indicators • Measureable Factors

• Quantitative Value

• Dichotomous Value

• Classification System

• Metric Value • Allowable Range

• Maximum Limit

• Minimum Limit

Turner Tract

The Pointe at UW • Total 72 Apartment Units with 288 Bedrooms

• Shuttle to UW Campus

• Gated Community

The Point at UW

• Six Apartment Buildings with 12 units in each Apartment

• 4 bedrooms in each Apartment with 4 separate bathrooms

Land Development Guidelines of Location

• Current Zoning

• Future Land Use

• Unified Development Code

• Site Design

• Environmental Considerations

• Infrastructure Considerations

• Transportation Considerations

• Safety Considerations

• Parking

• Casper Aquifer Overlay Zone

• Landscaping

• Stormwater Runoff/Retention

• Parks and Open Space

• Fences and Walls

• Lighting

• Signage

Turner Tract Policies • Require compliance with the Turner Tract Area Plan for any development

proposed within the planning area boundaries. • Market the Turner Tract as a mixed use neighborhood that offers a variety

of uses and opportunities related to housing, employment education, civic engagement and recreation and easy connection with the rest of the Laramie community.

• Encourage non-residential, commercial and office development in the central portion of the Tract.

• Allow for a variety of housing densities and styles. • Continue to establish a circulation system that enhances connections both

within the Turner Tract as well as connecting with other neighborhoods to the west and east.

• Continue recreation and civic sues as major anchors for the Turner Tract.

Indicator/Metric

• Current Zoning-Low Density Residential (LR) • Four units per acre, Single Family

• Future Zoning-Suburban Residential (SR) • Four units per acre, Single Family

• Turner Tract Policy-Mixed Use Neighborhood • Residential Percent or Number of units

• Commercial/Office Percent or Number of Employment

• Recreation Percent or Area

• Civic/Public Percent or Area

Slope % Distance to Streams/Drainage

30th

I-80

Current Zoning

Turner Tract Proposed Development

Future Land Use Map

Housing Goals

• Development of housing that is affordable for all income categories and compatible with the level of income of Laramie’s workforce.

• Home ownership appropriate for Laramie citizenship.

• Development of a good mix of housing types in all price ranges, based on present and future needs.

• Development of quality housing for our residents who have special needs such as very low-income households, the elderly, and the disabled.

• Preservation of existing houses and rehabilitation of older neighborhoods through improved housing quality, condition, and their surroundings.

• Homeowners and tenants exhibition of pride in our community’s homes through good maintenance.

Translation into Indicator and Metric

• Development of housing that is affordable for all income categories and compatible with the level of income of Laramie’s workforce.

• Indicators:

• Income Levels in Laramie, convert to percentages

• Housing by Value, convert to percentages

• Housing Vacancy rate by Value

• Metric

• Income: Determine percentage ranges acceptable

• Housing Values: Determine percentage ranges acceptable

• Housing Vacancy Rate: Determine percentage range acceptable

30th

I-80

The Pointe at UW • Total 72 Apartment Units with 288 Bedrooms

• Shuttle to UW Campus

• Gated Community

Garfield St.

30th St.

30th St.

30th

I-80

Conclusion

• In the creation of a SDSS include Planning Documents, Ordinances and Regulations (PDOR).

• Convert the Planning Documents, Ordinances and Regulations into Indicators with Metrics.

• Integrate the three major components: • DBMS

• MAUT

• PDOR

Questions?

• William J. Gribb

• Paddington Hodza

• Jeff Hamerlinck

• Wyoming Geographic Information Science Center

• University of Wyoming

Go Spartans