CommunityViz: Case Studies, Examples, Scenario 360

Total course duration: 56 minutes (Includes 12 videos)
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This course offers an introduction to CommunityViz, and addresses the myths that CommunityViz is only applicable to small town planning or requires extensive GIS datasets. The course is divided into two parts. Chapters 2-8 illustrate actual projects completed in CommunityViz. The projects explore large-scale natural resource and urban design analyses.

Chapters 9-12 create quick land use analyses using Scenario 360 in CommunityViz. The proposed project does not rely on a preexisting dataset, showing how easily project maps can be created within CommunityViz. The example projects are intended to demonstrate software capabilities, rather than offer detailed instruction. Completing a similar analysis would require a broadband Internet connection and installation of ArcGIS 10, CommunityViz, and Google Earth. Other Planetizen courses offer detailed instruction on the mechanics of using CommunityViz.

Charles Donley, AICP, your instructor, is an urban planner who specializes in applying technology to planning issues. He brings 30 years of experience in public and private sector planning, working on current and long-range processes.

Chapters

  • 1. Introduction

    Provides an overview of the course, showing why CommunityViz is applicable to more that just small communities, case studies of how it was successfully used, and a demonstration of its capabilities.

    3:00m
  • 2. Case Study: Hayden, CO

    Explores the ArcGIS 10 and CommunityViz interface. Performs land use and traffic analysis.  Compares scenarios and visualizes the landscape.

    3:18m
  • 3. Case Study: Allegheny County, PA

    Shows scenarios for a large urban land area. Uses chips for to estimate various development impacts.

    3:13m
  • 4. Case Study: Delmarva Atlantic Water Network

    Estimates build-out in four counties across three states.  Evaluates water quality impacts (a natural resource issue).  Calculates green infrastructure protection at buildout.

    2:29m
  • 5. Case Study: Palmer Land Trust, CO

    Performs land suitability analysis for strategic planning and determining acquisition priority. Guides land stewardship activities.

    2:14m
  • 6. Case Study: Tacoma, WA and La Plata County, CO

    Demonstrates two uses of the Assumptions slider: site selection for business locations, and telling a story about growth patterns.

    3:05m
  • 7. Case Study: Westminster, CO

    Offers visualizations and impact analysis for Transit Oriented Development.  Evaluates parking and tax revenues.  Visualize aspects of existing and proposed development.

    2:36m
  • 8. Case Study: Florida Mesa, CO

    Evaluates five growth scenarios for budget impacts.

    2:22m
  • 9. Creating a Basemap

    Load imagery into ArcGIS for a base map using ArcGIS Resource Center content.  Zoom to a vacant parcel in Bend, Oregon as an example.  Start CommunityViz/Scenario 360, create a new analysis.  Add a new data layer called landuse.  Start editing, digitize a parcel and type in land use.

    11:02m
  • 10. Running Buildout Wizard

    Symbolize the land layer.  Start the CommunityViz Buildout wizard and complete the dialogue boxes. Review the Buildout results, especially the Buildable Area’s attribute table for a comparison of Numeric and Spatial results.  Visualize the results in the charts.  Explore the Building Point’s symbology and 3D model information.

    7:56m
  • 11. Running Common Impacts

    Run Common Impacts. Study the results for population in a chart. Change the population assumption for persons per household. Note the resulting change in school children. Review the source of the population assumptions. Summarize the CommunityViz Scenario 360 process and results.

    6:28m
  • 12. Creating Higher Residential Density Scenarios

    Create second scenario with higher residential density.  Review new scenario results, including the chart of dwelling units. Study Spatial Build-out to understand how it illustrates potential unit locations, rather than acting as a design tool. Visualize buildings in Google Earth using 3D models specified previously. Change the scenarios and turn on charts in Google Earth.

    8:13m