Community Form: Design and GIS

Communities throughout the world recognize that good design is a foundation for a successful community. Good design enables communities to attract investment that continually nourishes and sustains the economic, fiscal, social and environmental health of the community.

Design. Successful communities are the result of compatible public and private space, where architecture, streetscapes and other civic spaces mesh in ways that entice businesses, residents and visitors to gather to live, shop, play and work. We use a combination of photos, graphics, renderings, diagrams, sketches, charts and detailed GIS modeling and analysis to illustrate desired development outcomes. Community form and design will incorporate regional and cultural design elements, and reflect local context and community values.  The Planning Works key to creating a successful design framework is to clearly and concisely identify and promote the community’s characteristics – a one-size fits all approach will not work or succeed. Our design ethos encourages creativity and individuality, recognizes cherished development patterns and architectural features and discourages monotony and lowest-cost options for new construction. Above all, local and regional styles and preferences should be celebrated! Residents and visitors entering the community should know that have reached a unique destination based on the visual cues they see in the built environment and landscape.

GIS. While anyone can use maps to provide graphical references, we also understand that maps aren’t just pictures – they’re data! Planning Works understands that geospatial data can be overwhelming, and that data needs to be visualized in a simple and coherent manner for precise, effective and quick analysis. We combine information typically shown on static maps to create a dynamic model. The Planning Works GIS-based land suitability analysis is one of the most detailed, yet flexible, models in the country. We designed our model to weight and prioritize multiple factors, with output that make presumptions of development suitability, providing a consistent, technically defensible system for the evaluation of development proposals and infrastructure investment. Planning Works has the tools, knowledge and capability to render visualizations which present a clear, accurate data driven picture of past, current and future conditions.

• Interactive Transportation Impact Model - Barstow, California
• Population and Employment Growth Visualization - Durango, Colorado
• 3-D Visualizations for Public Workshops - Flager County, Fl
• Form-Based Regulations for Mixed Use Districts - Gainesville, Florida
• Plant City Mixed Use Districts - Hillsborough County, Florida
• Windshield Survey Map Book and 40’ Public Display Maps - Panama City Beach, Florida
• Form-Based Code – Front Beach, Panama City Beach, Florida
• Design Regulations - Tallahassee, Florida
• Visioning Fly Through - Carroll County, Georgia
• 3-D Population and Employment Scenario Model - Ada County, Idaho
• Tailgate Ranch Interactive Development Scenarios Model - Leavenworth County, Kansas*
• Land Suitability Analysis (Hazard Mitigation Emphasis), Alternative Scenarios 3-D Visualization - Calcasieu Parish, Louisiana
• Fat City Design Standards - Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
• Mixed-Use Redevelopment Standards – Jefferson Parish, Louisiana
• GIS Implementation Plan - Mandeville, Louisiana
• B-3 Area Design Guidelines, Post-Katrina Elevated Structure Visualization and Massing Model Fly Through - Mandeville, Louisiana
• Old Mandeville Area Plan and Design Standards - Mandeville, Louisiana
• Front Beach, Downtown and Bienville Corridor Development and Design Standards - Ocean Springs, Mississippi
• Land Suitability Analysis and HAZUS Modeling - Ocean Springs, Mississippi
• Development Demand Model - Carthage, Missouri
• North Central Columbia Neighborhood Form-Based Overlay Zoning District - Columbia, Missouri
• Gateway Redevelopment Plan - Independence, Missouri
• Right-of-Way Deficiency Analysis and Mapping - Jackson County, Missouri
• Annexation Fly Through and On-Going GIS Services - Lake Lotawana, Missouri
• Fly Through Mapping - Osage Beach, Missouri
• Gas and Oil Suitability Analysis Model, Sustainable Land Development Analysis Model, Viewshed Protection Mapping - Santa Fe County, New Mexico
• Massing Models for Land Use Visualization - Coppell, Texas
• Development and Design Code - Kiawah Island, South Carolina
• North Lake Development and Design Plan – Coppell, Texas
• Unified Development Code - San Antonio, Texas
• Land Evaluation Suitability Analysis (Economic Development Emphasis) - Carroll County, Virginia
• Land Evaluation Suitability Analysis (Agricultural Protection Emphasis) - Page County, Virginia

*Private Sector Client

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