A feature-based planning support system

Abstract

This paper concerns the application of the concept of cartographic features in the framework of computerized geographic information systems to support urban and regional planning. It includes a discussion of the conceptual background for this application, goals of the planning support system, the model to be used for its implementation, and a discussion of the range of planning problems to be addressed. The concept of cartographic features is addressed from the perspectives of Bouillé's Hypergraph-Based Data Structure (HBDS) model, the recent trend toward object-oriented geographic information systems (OOGIS) methodology, and the proposed U.S. Spatial Data Transfer Standard (SDTS). For planning applications, it is also necessary to consider the planning process, as exemplified by the Krueckeberg and Silvers (1974) text on planning methods, and data availability of which the TIGER system is the most striking current example. The advent of SDTS in the United States will greatly facilitate both the development of local planning support systems and their transferability to a variety of situations in both developed and developing countries.