Sustainable Built Environments Senior Capstone Project / This study analyzes 15 years of wildlife tracking data across more than 40 transects in the Sky Islands surrounding landscape to investigate how human-wildlife encounters may respond to a decade of land development. The average detection of species per visit (ADPV), the quantification for human-wildlife encounters and indicator of species richness, was calculated for each transect across two sample periods 2001-2011 and 2011-2015. ArcMap was used to visualize the ADPV across sampling sites in the Sky Islands region. The p-value was then calculated to determine whether there was a significant difference between the ADPV of all species and of focal species before and after 2011. The results concluded there was no significant difference and the null hypothesis was accepted.

published_or_final_version / Urban Planning / Master / Master of Science in Urban Planning

Conflicts surrounding newly proposed land-uses can have profound and lasting effects on all stakeholders in the land development process. While considerable attention has been directed toward finding ways to mediate land-use conflict, little is known about why such conflict develops: What are the key factors that produce negative perceptions of land-use change? What are the key dimensions that may effect a response to such changes? What is the nature of that response? This study explores these questions focusing on a case study of a newly-proposed land-use change in the Town of Paradise Valley, Arizona. Two separate questionnaire surveys are employed in the study. The first is used to assess conditions prior to widespread knowledge of the proposed change, and the second to evaluate residents' perceptions and responses once the change is widely known and its full impact has been appreciated. Perceptions and responses to the newly-proposed use are modeled using two stepwise multiple regression models. Residents' land-use expectations, community-level activism, as well as their tie to community and location, are found to be significant predictors in both the perception and response models. A general conceptual framework of necessary and sufficient conditions is advanced that captures a series of threshold effects observed between significant predictor and criterion variables.

This thesis deals with the land-use planning as an instrument of environmental protection. The main part of the thesis is focused on public participation in the process of land-use planning and analyses its efectivity. The thesis describes general tasks and terms of land-use planning, define theirs targets and solutions at the beginning. It defines the legal arrangement of the topic including actual amendment of Building Act, which was accepted since 1. 1. 2013. Further it describes the instruments of environmental protection and it is focused on general forms of the arrangement, in which the most of land-use planning instruments are issued. Then come after characteristic of the position of the authorities and instruments, which they have to behave in public interest and which are connected with processing and implementation. The special focus is given to attend of public in land-use planning. At first the single institutions, which enable conection of public resort to the land- use planning, are described. First of all objections and protests, public debate of documents and public representatives. After that the possibility of public attendence under proceses of making single land-use planning instruments is overwieved. Lastly the thesis devotes the impact on the environmental protection opinions...

Very important tool of environmental protection is land-use planning which is subject of this work and which deals with town and country planning. Town and country planning ensures the preconditions for sustainable development of the area by means of continuous and complex solution of useful utilization and spatial arrangement of the area with the aim of achieving the harmony of public and private priorities in relation to the development of the area.In my work I dedicate space to conceptual tools of land-use planning such as planning analytical materials, planning studies, spatial development policy, planning documentation. Of course I analyze also functioning of public administration in country and town planning in my work. It is important for understanding of a theme to determine its foundations that is based on.No less important tool as a part of my work that serve for environmental protection is Environmental Impact Assessment. In the Czech law system, this domain is regulated by the Act 100/2001 Coll., About Environmental Impact Assessement and About the Modification of Some Acts, as subsequetly ammended, and the laws difference between the intention of construction, activity and technology (EIA) and concept, strategy, policy, plan and programs set or allocated by a public administration authority...

This diploma thesis deals with environmental impact assessment, and is mainly focused on so-called SEA procedure. The objective of this thesis is to analyse how the Czech law reflects the requirements prescribed by international and European law. The first paragraph provides the definition of the whole concept of environmental impact assessment procedure and enumerates legal principals having a substantial influence on the formation and application of legislation. In the second paragraph, the thesis looks back to the historical roots of procedure and it also describes EIA procedure in details. Furthermore, in this paragraph the main international and European legislation are being analysed. The requirements, which are essential for the Czech legislation, are also being identified. The third paragraph probes the general form of SEA procedure in the Czech legislation and the conformity of the Czech legislation contained in the Environmental Impact Assessment Act making provisions for the requirements of international and European law is examined as well. In the last paragraph, the special form of SEA procedure within the Building Act is being described. Strategic Environmental Assessment is carried out as a part of spatial and land use planning.

Master of Regional and Community Planning / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Howard Hahn / Since 2005, local jurisdictions have been required to prepare hazard mitigation plans to maintain eligibility for a number of disaster-related federal grant programs. All types of communities prepare these plans, high-risk coastal communities and low-risk Great Plains communities alike. Research, both current and historic, has found hazard mitigation plans have a number of weaknesses, ranging from weak fact bases to weak mitigation actions. The purpose of this study is to explore how this research can be used to prioritize enhancements to hazard mitigation plans in growing rural counties, referred to as urbanizing rural communities, which have limited staff and resources. Specifically, Pottawatomie County, Kansas was the focus of this study. In order to prioritize enhancements, the current issues and challenges related to hazard mitigation were explored through interviews and assessing the quality of hazard mitigation plan documents. Based on the outcome of this initial analysis, plans of comparable communities were explored to identify a range of policies and methods that could be used by Pottawatomie County. Finally, these policies and methods will be prioritized based on the level of enhancement and resource requirements. This study found two possible directions for plan improvements: a combined response/mitigation planning process for a single county and strategies for participation within a regional planning context. The interviews with Pottawatomie County staff reveal an opportunity to combine phases of the emergency management cycle to boost interest and participation. The interviews also revealed a statewide shift to a regional planning process. This shift, while presenting new opportunities, will require Pottawatomie County staff to be more active and engaged to ensure the resulting regional plan will be beneficial to the county.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional & Community Planning / Blake Belanger / Investigating historical trends of public transportation, two distinct groups of riders are targeted. First, individuals living and working in large metropolitan centers, and second, people who are dependent upon public transit; referring to people who cannot afford personal automobile transportation, possess no driver’s license, or are physically unable to drive (Garrett and Taylor, 1999). Analyzing the national demographics related to age and poverty levels, transit dependents make up only approximately 25% of the United States population. Expanding transit ridership will make our nation’s transportation sector more sustainable. Public transportation systems yield exceptional benefits including economic and community vitality, gasoline consumption reduction, air quality improvement and diverse cultural interactions promoting social cohesion (Metro Transit- St. Louis, 2010). This report focuses on ridership potential in the Rock Island Corridor, an unused rail thoroughfare in Kansas City. Local governing organizations are analyzing the corridor for future commuter rail implementation. In order to attain higher ridership and ensure long-term viability, the commuter rail must attract residents that are not dependent upon public transportation. This project maps transit dependencies along the Rock Island Corridor looking at income levels, home values, and commuting distance. The findings illustrate that Lee’s Summit is not dependent upon public transit and has tremendous potential to impact the ridership and development direction along the corridor. Looking into the future of the corridor the time to plan is now. Lee’s Summit is expected to see a population increase of 40,636 people (a 50% increase) by the year 2040 (Mid-America Regional Council, 2010). The strategies applied to Lee’s Summit are applicable to other similar suburbs of Kansas City, ultimately making Lee’s Summit a catalyst for the region. The organization of the project is focused around three major sections. The first section explores and analyzes current public transit practice in terms of ridership and aesthetics. The second section explains a three-part strategy focused around a park-n-ride and a transit-oriented development, both supported by a municipal feeder bus system. The third section demonstrates design and program ideas for the park-n-ride station that provide the community with visions to promote smart growth and a sustainable future.

Typescript (photocopy). / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

The corner store represents a significant part of New Orleans' history and neighborhoods. From essential grocery providers to bars and restaurants full of local character, these buildings have held a number of roles in the community. These roles have changed in response to development patterns, market pressures, and land-use regulation. A number of these traditional businesses still exist today as neighborhood cultural institutions throughout the city. Many more, however, have faced conversions to residential buildings, abandonment, or demolition. This case study addresses the significance of the corner store, identifies a number of factors leading to its decline, and suggests that a newly revised Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance in the city of New Orleans should reserve a place for these neighborhood businesses.