Development and Implementation of a Graphical User Interface to Examine Land-Use Planning Efforts in Licking County, Ohio

Abstract

A Graphical User Interface (GUI) was developed in ARC/INFO to provide land-use planners and land owners with a user-friendly tool to access and query a digital database on various planning issues or concerns in Licking County. Planners from Licking County and the Resource Analysis Section (RAS) at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) were surveyed to identify the essential data layers needed to address each agency's specific planning initiatives. Two case studies were developed to implement the GUI. The first case study is theory based and involves an examination of potential sites for conservation tillage practices on potentially highly erodible land. The second case study is a real-world application, derived from an interest expressed by planners from both agencies to identify potential large-scale development sites within the county. The overall performance of the GUI was evaluated by land-use planners that found the interface more user-friendly and efficient than manual techniques.