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Monday 17 October 2005: Session 2, 3:50:00 PM
Building the Joint Comprehensive Plan Map: From Base Map to Future Land Use Plan… and Beyond…
Presentation Abstract
GIS is a key technology for local governments to manage their resources better, offering the potential to increase the speed and efficiency of many planning, operational, and infrastructure management functions. Comprehensive planning is an ideal opportunity to apply GIS technology, as the data is best organized and analyzed in a system that takes full advantage of the geographic components. A critical component of an effective comprehensive plan and the associated GIS maps is the attention to the data layers. Each layer adds more detail and more information for the municipality. After the adoption of the comprehensive plan, municipal officials continue to face questions. For example, “Is the proposed subdivision allowable under existing zoning?” or “Where is the heaviest concentration of traffic accidents?” Referencing the GIS maps and data provides fast answers to these questions. “Building the Joint Comprehensive Plan Map: From base map to future land use plan . . . and beyond . . .” will explore the detail and use of each layer in a GIS map from base map thru future land use plan to implementation of the comprehensive plan. Discussion topics include zoning maps, up-to-date subdivision location maps, build-out analysis, and infrastructure mapping. The future land use map is also a tool to allow municipal officials to determine the future carrying capacity potential of the land. GIS layers such as sewer and water availability, the transportation system, and the location of natural features and agricultural areas all come together in forming the foundations for future land use decisions.
Speaker Biographical Information
Robert Schellhamer : Sotts, Stevens and McCoy, Inc.
Mr. Robert Schellhamer is a Project Planner, Municipal Planning Services at Spotts, Stevens and McCoy, Inc. Mr. Schellhamer has over 15 years of municipal planning experience working with the Berks County Planning Commission from 1990 to 2004 before joining the SSM planning staff. He was administrator for the County’s Intergovernmental Cooperation Program, which included the County’s Joint Comprehensive Planning Program and the Joint Zoning Program. Mr. Schellhamer was a principal author and editor for the Berks County Comprehensive Plan, Vision 2020. Since joining SSM, Mr. Schellhamer has been involved in and will be responsible for numerous comprehensive planning projects, as well as municipal representation. He is a graduate of The Pennsylvania State University, B.S., Geography, 1989.
