| Abstract: | Few contemporary issues have received as much sustained attention as the deterioration of the quality of our natural environment and, particularly, the need to manage the trade-off between economic growth and the quality of that environment. This paper discusses research currently under way to develop a land-use planning methodology that will help planners address the trade-offs between environmental quality and economic development. The methodology is used to evaluate the social, economic, and environmental impact of alternative land-use plans. The methodology consists of a regional analysis submodel and a site analysis submodel. The first component is based on an expanded input-output analysis incorporating land use, resource inputs, and waste-emission outputs. The second component is an empirical analysis based on the specific suitability and compatibility of proposed land-use development packages. The land-use planning model developed is applied to a case-study area centered on Charleston, South Carolina. |
