Land Use
Definition
Land use expresses how people utilize land—residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, transportation, recreation, conservation—often codified in zoning or planning designations. Unlike land cover, land use is social and regulatory; it may not be visible from imagery alone. GIS integrates permits, business licenses, mobility, building heights, and cadastral data to infer current use and compare it with planned designations. Granularity matters: separating low-, mid-, and high-density residential yields better transportation and infrastructure models. Mixed-use developments complicate classification but enable walkability and vitality. In practice, teams should also publish example use cases, counter-examples where the layer should not be used, and a short checklist for analysts. This improves reproducibility and prevents misuse when the product is shared widely.
Application
Cities align land use with infrastructure capacity, school planning, tax revenue projections, and climate goals. Retailers analyze compatibility and competition. Environmental agencies evaluate imperviousness and habitat fragmentation. Transit agencies tie service to employment and population intensities. Scenario planning explores how rezoning could affect housing supply and emissions.
FAQ
Why do zoning and actual use diverge?
Legacy designations, market cycles, and permitting delays mean maps lag reality. Field audits and administrative data reduce gaps; dashboards can flag inconsistencies for planner review.
Can machine learning classify land use reliably?
It can help, using imagery, POIs, text, and mobility. But human validation remains critical, especially for nuanced categories and legal decisions.
How does land use relate to equity?
Single-use zoning can entrench segregation and long commutes. Inclusive zoning and gentle density enable access to opportunity while preserving character.
What’s the best way to share land-use plans with the public?
Interactive maps with plain-language categories, examples, and 3D massing views help residents understand proposals and trade-offs.