Miami Valley Land Suitability Assessment – Natural Environment Factors 2007 MVRPC Board of Directors December 6, 2007

Study Overview To assess Region’s landscape from a natural environment perspective as part of “Going Places: An Integrated Land Use Vision for the Miami Valley Region” Provide a comprehensive overview of sensitive natural areas in the Region - Examine the presence and conditions of sensitive natural areas Identify locations within the Region that are better suited for physical development than others Study Boundary - 8 County Region

To assess Region’s landscape from a natural environment perspective as part of “Going Places: An Integrated Land Use Vision for the Miami Valley Region”

Provide a comprehensive overview of sensitive natural areas in the Region - Examine the presence and conditions of sensitive natural areas

Identify locations within the Region that are better suited for physical development than others

Study Boundary - 8 County Region

Land Suitability Assessment Land Suitability Assessment (LSA) is a process for evaluating the suitability of land for development Identify locations within the planning area that are best suited to particular types of land use based on land characteristics MVRPC LSA Natural Environment Factors study Focused on natural environmental factors Compiled various natural resource data into one regional dataset and conducted technical analyses Developed a land suitability scoring system Developed a systematic approach of aggregating each suitability score into a total suitability score Developed a Natural Environment Factors Composite Map

Land Suitability Assessment (LSA) is a process for evaluating the suitability of land for development

Identify locations within the planning area that are best suited to particular types of land use based on land characteristics

MVRPC LSA Natural Environment Factors study

Focused on natural environmental factors

Compiled various natural resource data into one regional dataset and conducted technical analyses

Developed a land suitability scoring system

Developed a systematic approach of aggregating each suitability score into a total suitability score

Developed a Natural Environment Factors Composite Map

Natural Environment Factors The study identified 15 natural environment factors covering 3 dimensions of: Resources Forested Areas Ground Water Pollution Potential Ground Water Yield Mineral Resources Prime Farmland Sole Source Aquifer Well Field Protection Areas Wetlands Hazards Floodplain Inundation Areas Physical Impediments Depth to Bedrock Load Bearing Strength Slope Soil Drainage Surface Water

The study identified 15 natural environment factors covering 3 dimensions of:

Resources

Forested Areas

Ground Water Pollution Potential

Ground Water Yield

Mineral Resources

Prime Farmland

Sole Source Aquifer

Well Field Protection Areas

Wetlands

Hazards

Floodplain

Inundation Areas

Physical Impediments

Depth to Bedrock

Load Bearing Strength

Slope

Soil Drainage

Surface Water

Definition Importance Data Development Process Data Sources Data Findings

Prime Farmland Regional Land by Prime Farmland Classification

Sole Source Aquifer Regional Land by SSA Classification

Natural Environment Suitability Measure Development Conceptually, the Natural Environment Suitability Measure was generated by overlaying spatial data representing the Suitability Scores of all 15 factors.

Land Suitability Score System 2 1 Not Suitable High Potential 6 3 Somewhat Suitable Medium Potential 10 2 5 Suitable Low Potential Ground Water Pollution Potential 2 1 Not Suitable Forested 10 2 5 Suitable Non-Forested Forested Areas 4 1 Not Suitable 100 Year 8 2 Somewhat Suitable 500 Year 20 4 5 Suitable Outside Floodplain Floodplain 0 0 NA Not Rated 2 1 Not Suitable Shallow Depth 10 2 5 Suitable Adequate Depth Depth to Bedrock Suitability Score Weight Factor Attribute Score Suitability Measures Data Attributes Environment Factors

Natural Environment Suitability Measure Land with high development potential is characterized as: Having soils that are well drained, adequate depth to bedrock, adequate load bearing strength, and no mineral resources Having high ground water yields Having flat or gently rolling slopes Outside floodplains, inundation areas, surface waters, sole source aquifers, wetlands, and well field protection areas Outside forested areas and prime farmland

Land with high development potential is characterized as:

Having soils that are well drained, adequate depth to bedrock, adequate load bearing strength, and no mineral resources

Having high ground water yields

Having flat or gently rolling slopes

Outside floodplains, inundation areas, surface waters, sole source aquifers, wetlands, and well field protection areas

Outside forested areas and prime farmland

Natural Environment Suitability Measure Regional Land by Development Potential Classification

Comparative Analysis

Summary The land in the Region is Mostly flat, dry land with adequate dept to bedrock and load bearing strength Non-forested land with mineral resources not likely to present With medium ground water pollution potential Not within floodplain or inundation areas Significant amount of prime farmland with relatively good soil drainage and ground water yield capacity Containing quality sole source aquifer with portion of the Region designated as well-filed protection areas Over 80% of regional land us highly or moderately suited to accommodate future land development

The land in the Region is

Mostly flat, dry land with adequate dept to bedrock and load bearing strength

Non-forested land with mineral resources not likely to present

With medium ground water pollution potential

Not within floodplain or inundation areas

Significant amount of prime farmland with relatively good soil drainage and ground water yield capacity

Containing quality sole source aquifer with portion of the Region designated as well-filed protection areas

Over 80% of regional land us highly or moderately suited to accommodate future land development

Conclusion An assessment of the built environment must be completed in order to have a complete understanding of the Region’s physical landscape The entire Region will benefit if development is planned and executed in a manner that takes advantage of our natural resources without threatening their quality Land use planning at the local level should take into consideration the potential effects of development on natural environment resources so that the balance between the need to grow and the need to preserve environmental quality is achieved

An assessment of the built environment must be completed in order to have a complete understanding of the Region’s physical landscape

The entire Region will benefit if development is planned and executed in a manner that takes advantage of our natural resources without threatening their quality

Land use planning at the local level should take into consideration the potential effects of development on natural environment resources so that the balance between the need to grow and the need to preserve environmental quality is achieved

GIS Data Sharing Map Tools Map Layers Map

Study Report Report available at www.mvrpc.org/rlu

Report available at www.mvrpc.org/rlu

For More Information Contact Bethany Heim, GIS Specialist/Planner, at bheim@mvrpc.org

Contact Bethany Heim, GIS Specialist/Planner, at bheim@mvrpc.org