Applying Algorithms to Land-Use Decision Making
Zoning Practice — March 2019
By Norman Wright, AICP
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Every planner has a set of variables and values that they consider when judging a land-use proposal. Informally, we think of these as our expert intuitions, the sort of thinking that we developed through years of experience and training. In a formal sense, these are known as algorithms, and they create a formula for how we make decisions. When we deliberately write this formula as an explicit algorithm, we can combine it with data and create a more transparent, consistent, and adaptable approach to decision making.
This issue of Zoning Practice reviews simple methods for defining and applying a decision algorithm for land-use cases, and it explores how back testing; best-case, worst-case scenarios; and extrapolation can improve this approach.
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About the Author
Norman Wright, AICP
Norman Wright, AICP, is the founder of Parameter, a design and analytics consultancy that specializes in creating plans, policies, and best practices for local government. Prior to this, he was a local government executive leading planning, economic development, and community development efforts in Oregon, Colorado, Tennessee, and South Carolina. His teams have delivered award-winning work recognized by the American Planning Association and Urban Land Institute. He holds a master’s degree in city and regional planning from Clemson University.