Smart Land-Use Analysis: The LUCIS Model

As the world’s population continues to rise, so does the need for living space. New homes, schools, and shopping centers are necessary to support burgeoning population growth; but as urban sprawl continues, what will happen to open spaces and farmlands? Orange groves are plowed under for shopping malls, forests are cut for residential housing tracts, and farmers sell out to developers. Is all land susceptible to the effects of urban sprawl? Hopefully, the answer is no—we should be able to accommodate urban, agricultural, and conservation lands, as long as we make smart decisions regarding current and future land use.

Smart Land-Use Analysis presents the land-use conflict identification strategy (LUCIS), a proven method for using geographic information system (GIS) technology to analyze land-use suitability, stakeholder preferences, and conflicts between competing land interests. In the hands of a knowledgeable analyst, LUCIS can provide a reliable projection as to which lands will remain in their current use and which lands will likely change in the future. With this information, various land-use scenarios can be considered by planners. For example, if development continues at its current rate and in the standard fashion, what will a land-use map for any region look like in 35 years? On the other hand, if development policies change, how will things look different?

This volume gives readers everything they need to understand and apply the LUCIS model to their own regions. Background information on data formats and the ArcGIS® geoprocessing environment is provided, and then the steps of LUCIS are laid out in an easy-to-follow manner. Concepts are illustrated by a real-world case study, a nine-county region of north central Florida where LUCIS has been applied with great success. ArcGIS assignments are provided at various points along the way to reinforce the concepts and provide hands-on experience with LUCIS techniques. The supplemental DVD includes the assignment data, the case study data, and all of the geoprocessing models required to implement LUCIS.

Smart Land-Use Analysis is an indispensable guide for land-use planners, analysts, and students who want to explore an original, proven method that enables intelligent land-use decision making.

About the authors:

Paul Zwick is chair and professor in the University of Florida’s Department of Urban and Regional Planning. His key area of interest is the application of GIS technology to planning and land-use problems.

Margaret (Peggy) Carr is a professor in the University of Florida (UF) Department of Landscape Architecture. Her areas of interest include park and regional conservation design, and regional land-use planning and analysis.