Every year in a planning department brings its own set of challenges, on top of the normal daily activities…maybe every month. As the profession continues to evolve, the role of GIS as a mission-critical tool in planning likewise continues to advance. 2025 is here and provides a good opportunity to look at the modern trends in applying GIS to planning that we’re seeing across the country.
Housing Policy, specifically dealing with housing capacity and affordability, is increasingly becoming a heightened (if not top) priority and responsibility for planning and community development departments. This started before the pandemic but has been exacerbated by the lack of affordable housing and necessary housing capacity to accommodate growth demands that has reached crisis-levels since then. From a policy standpoint, this goes above planning. In addition to APA’s focus on this priority, there is increasing focus on this from leading professional organizations like the National League of Cities (NLC), National Association of Counties (NACo), and National Governors Association (NGA). Overlapping a great deal with housing policy is the need to reform dated zoning ordinances to better accommodate housing demand. GIS plays a pivotal role in the data-driven processes of scenario planning to test different policy guidelines (e.g. increased density, mixed-use, smaller lot sizes, etc.) and provide solutions upon which leadership, residents, and developers can agree.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) has rapidly moved from a futuristic trend to the forefront of usable technology. Generative AI, in particular the use of Large Language Models (LLM), has quickly gained traction with planning departments. Uses include interpretations of land use, zoning, and development regulations, providing clarity or necessary changes to dated zoning ordinances, and identifying gaps in modern development parameters. Generative AI also involves the use of GIS in scenario planning with tools like ArcGIS Urban that can generate developments based on existing or proposed development parameters (e.g. FAR, building height, parcel coverage, etc.) and measure the impacts of new developments or changes to existing ones. In other words, does the ordinance we created 20 or 30 years ago meet the modern needs and demands of our residents? What would the potential impact be of making limited or wholesale changes to these parameters?
Economic Mobility has been a policy priority for NLC and NACo for over a decade. This is the strategy of improving the ability of a person or household to improve their economic status over time. Whether they realize it or not, planning professionals are now being directly involved in policy decisions promoting developments that can foster economic mobility, particularly for lower and middle income and younger households. These can include walkable communities and increased access to transit and services. GIS can help identify the neighborhoods most suitable and in greatest demand for this initiative and answer the questions leadership and residents would have about the impact of these developments. For instance, if affordable housing units were available in a particular neighborhood, how many residents could be added? How many and what types of jobs are nearby? What about access to education, groceries, healthcare, parks, and so forth? What changes would need to be made to transit to accommodate access?
Resilience Planning is an increased focus within the planning community. Resilience will have different meanings in different communities. Climate resilience strategies (e.g. flood mitigation, sea level rise, storm surge planning, wildfire mitigation, etc.) are at the forefront or resilience planning. GIS helps planners better understand and visualize the challenges facing their communities. From measuring impervious surfaces, stormwater runoff, evacuation planning, flood impact areas, and more, GIS helps identify vulnerable areas and play out scenarios to limit or mitigate potential hazards. The most common resilience strategy after climate would be economic, meaning a community is less impacted by economic swings and downturns. GIS identifies strengths, gaps, and diversity in services, workforce, or market analysis.
Staffing Shortages are a growing concern within planning departments. This sometimes comes about because of budget constraints, but more often, high retirement and low new hire rates. Planning staffs across the country have to take on multiple responsibilities (e.g. handling current and long-range planning, adding site reviews, etc.). GIS provides a way to optimize and standardize workflows, such as plan reviews, comprehensive plan updates, code enforcement, and more. The good news for planning departments is that virtually all students coming out of any planning or community development graduate school will have used GIS as part of their curriculum. Planning directors, in particular, must be aware of this evolving role of GIS and where it can be applied within their organization to help offset these shortages and, of course, for better decision making. That doesn’t necessarily mean be a GIS expert…just understand what it can do and who on your staff is best suited to use it.
Conclusion
GIS has become a cornerstone of modern planning, enabling planners to navigate the complexities of daily tasks while addressing long-term challenges. From tackling housing affordability to fostering economic mobility, enhancing resilience, and adapting to staffing shortages, GIS equips planners with the tools to make data-driven decisions that are transparent, efficient, and impactful. As the planning profession continues to rapidly evolve, embracing GIS not only enhances departmental capabilities but also positions planners as pivotal contributors to shaping vibrant and sustainable communities. By integrating GIS into their workflows, planners can confidently lead their departments into the future, turning challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.
