83 GIS offers many tools for smart planning that enhance visualization, communication, and decision-making. It enables the creation of digital twins and smart maps that simulate various land use and development scenarios. This awareness helps planners balance growth with preservation, particularly in historic districts. GIS promotes community engagement by making complex data accessible and understandable, enhancing transparency and collaboration in planning processes. GIS streamlines data integration, to consider all life cycles of development from building, maintaining, and renovating. With GIS planners can practice resilient urban development. In Sandy Springs, Georgia, GIS technology plays a crucial role in urban planning and enhancing community engagement. The technology is used to visualize and communicate city plans, ensuring a balance between growth and community preservation. Planners created a digital twin to alleviate community concerns about new projects like mixed-use developments. Bridget Lawlor, a GIS manager, emphasizes the benefits of visualization in community acceptance: “When people hear a term like ‘mixeduse development,’ they can sometimes think ‘oh no, I don’t want that.’ But when we can show them that we can make it look attractive and functional, that often helps.” GIS is instrumental in identifying vulnerable areas, such as those at risk of flooding. GIS models are used to simulate the impacts of development on population dynamics, job creation, and power usage to inform city management decisions. Visualization and modeling tools, including ArcGIS CityEngine®, were used to create a digital utopian city. This project integrates traditional utopian architectural elements with enhancements to quality of life, such as public spaces, parks, and waterways. It also includes realistic visualizations of industrial areas, often omitted in ideal city plans, to inspire urban planners to incorporate more natural and public spaces despite modern construction constraints. Utopian Disruption is not a detailed blueprint of a city. It doesn’t confront the gritty planning realities of sprawl, traffic, walkability, and pollution. It shows what can be achieved. Planning and Designing Better Communities In Arlington, Texas, new methods of GIS-based storytelling are being used to communicate the realities of local government budgets and decision-making. GIS technology is utilized to visually present key performance indicators (KPIs) such as progress on litter cleanup, library visits, and building inspections. Data on dashboards make data more accessible and comprehensible to residents, enhancing public engagement and participation in city affairs. Washington, DC, planners map and model proposed zoning changes to balance preservation with growth. GIS technology allows for the visualization of different land use and development scenarios, particularly in historic districts. It aids in analyzing restrictions and designing changes to increase foot traffic in areas like those near the National Zoo. Using ArcGIS Urban, planners were able to test different development configurations and link numeric data with realworld scenarios. This helps planners regulate such things as parking. It also addresses community concerns by providing visual simulations and virtual tours. Maps help cities solve common problems along the US I-10 corridor. Through the Ten Across initiative, GIS technology is employed to bring together various stakeholders to address issues spanning demographics, social dynamics, economic factors, and climate change. Smart maps delineate current conditions and project future scenarios. The incorporation of GIS into educational curricula equips future data-driven leaders. Wellington “Duke” Reiter highlights the integral role of GIS: “It’s amazing how GIS comes up in nearly every conversation. It’s naturally embedded into how we work together to find solutions.” The Ten Across initiative is designed to proactively tackle problems and foster positive transformations using datadriven approaches. GIS enhances the livability of places by improving governance, decision-making, and fostering collaboration among stakeholders. GIS provides a geographic approach to visualize, analyze, and address complex issues, leading to more informed governance and improved quality of life for residents.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjA2NTE0Mw==