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Main article: urban planning

Land use planning is the term used for a branch of public policy which encompasses various disciplines which seek to order and regulate the use of land in an efficient way.

Despite confusing nomenclature, the essential function of planning remains the same whatever term is applied. The Canadian Institute of Planners offers a definition that: "[Land use] planning means the scientific, aesthetic, and orderly disposition of land, resources, facilities and services with a view to securing the physical, economic and social efficiency, health and well-being of urban and rural communities"[1]

Contents 1 Nomenclature 2 Functions of land use planning 3 See also 4 External links

In the English speaking world, the terms land use planning, town and country planning, regional planning, town planning, urban planning, and urban design are often used interchangeably, and will depend on the country in question. In Europe the preferred term is increasingly spatial planning or more recently territorial cohesion.

In Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom and New Zealand, the term town planning is common, although regional planning and land use planning are also used.

In the United States, the terms urban planning and regional planning are more commonly used.

At its most basic level land use planning is likely to involve zoning and transport infrastructure planning. In most developed countries, land use planning is an important part of social policy, ensuring that land is used efficiently for the benefit of the wider economy and population as well as to protect the environment.

Land use planning encompasses the following disciplines:

• Architecture
• Environmental planning
• Landscape architecture
• Regional Planning
• Spatial planning
• Sustainable Development
• Transportation Planning
• Urban design
• Urban planning
• Urban Renaissance
• Urban renewal

Architecture, urban design, urban planning, landscape architecture and urban renewal usually address the selection of physical layout, scale of development, aesthetics, costs of alternatives and selection of building materials and landscape species.

Environmental planning usually impies the use of tools to forecast impacts of development decisions including roadway noise computer models, roadway air dispersion models and urban surface runoff computer models.

Because of the many disciplines and knowledge domains involved, land use planners are increasingly making use of computer models, Geographic Information Systems, and Spatial Decision Support Systems to assist with analysis and decision-making. A common planning calculation for which computer models are often used is Build-out.

• Context theory
• Environmental impact assessment
• Land Allocation Decision Support System
• Zoning
• Geographic information system
• Regulatory taking
• Eminent domain
• Principles of Intelligent Urbanism

• Combining deliberative and computer-based methods for multi-objective land-use planning, Matthews et al.

Schindler's Land Use Page (Michigan State University Extension Land Use Team) [2]

Land Policy Insitute at Michigan State University [3]