Thomas L. Millette looks back at how far GIS has come, and how it has become an essential tool for urban planning.
Millette last wrote about GIS for The Planning Commissioner's Journal fifteen years ago, so a lot has changed.
Millette writes, "Not surprisingly, there have been some substantial changes in the technology and uses since then. My goal here is to update you on some of the more important changes that have taken place in GIS and how they have benefited local and regional planning activities. I will also share with you some creative applications of GIS for planning that I hope will be of interest."
Link is to a PDF download.
FULL STORY: GIS and Planning

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