Land-use plans are drawn up by planners, but they are created with the combined input of various members of a community. You are going to be involved in the planning and development of land for a growing city. You must consider the following points of view when making desisions in how to create your land-use model:

A Planner is concerned with creating a plan that encourages the sort of growth that will attract businesses and new citizens to the area. A Developer bought the land from the city and is interested in the right to build housing and a shopping center. A Conservationist is interested in preserving open space and natural areas from further development. A Law Enforcer ensures that all of the laws and regulations are met for any new development project.

OBJECTIVES: Create a simulated land-use model. Recognize conflicts of interest that arise during a negotiation. Analyze and draw conclusions about the effect of compromise on the desired outcome for each interested party in a land-use plan.

MATERIALS: colored pencils, graph paper, pens

PROCEDURE: (the map accounts for 25 points)

1. Understand the different points of view and main interests/goals of the people listed above.

2. Use graph paper, blank paper, poster paper, or work digitally to create a map. Mark off an area that will represent your city limits. Determine the approximate scale, and label the sides of your area accordingly.

3. YOU MUST INCLUDE A KEY WITH ANY COLORS, SYMBLOS, ETC. USED ON YOUR MAP.

4. Color on the map (lightly, because you may have to write on top of it) as follows:

a. some type of fresh water (rivers/canals and/or lake/reservoir) - light blue.

b. some wetlands right next to some of the fresh water - light purple.

c. sloped marginal land - tan.

d. all the rest is land that is good for development and can be built on - leave white.

5. After the area is colored in, you must decide how and where to put the following items:

- housing, roads, school, commerce/business/shopping.

- services like utilities, trash collection/landfill, police, fire, and emergency/medical.

- open space, recreation, and modes of transportation (bike paths, public transit, etc.).

- room for future population growth (can label/indicate/describe how there is room for growth).

6. Make sure that your city plan abides by the following regulations (be sure to check for violations).

REGULATIONS:

There must be at least one preserved habitat.

Landfills must be at least two acres away from all housing, wetlands and fresh water sites.

Roads and bridges may cross rivers and wetlands but they must go around large natural areas.

Roads must be connected to all developed areas of the city.

There must be no building over wetlands, slopes and fresh water. 

Only parks may partially cover these habitats and roads/bridges may cross them.

7. Make sure the KEY on your map is complete. 

ANALYSIS (5pts each)

1. Explain 3 specific conflicts of interest that could arise in real life when putting together a land-use plan.

2. What was the hardest thing to fit into the plan? Explain what made it challenging.

3. How could the features of the land constrain the plans for a community? Give a specific example from your land-use plan.

CONCLUSIONS (5pts each)

4. Does the plan you created meet all the requirements? Specifically describe how you arranged things to allow for development while preserving the environment at the same time.

5. Explain how you think this land planning “simulation” compares to the real-life process of land-use planning?