This document proposes a new geospatial framework for regional analysis in the United States based on sub-state districts/regional councils. It notes limitations of existing frameworks like Metropolitan Statistical Areas and FIPS codes. The new framework assigns unique geo-codes to each state and region based on Census Bureau regions and divisions. This allows comparison of changes in regions over time and across state lines. It shows how regional councils could serve as standard units of analysis for measuring multi-jurisdictional regional trends and characteristics. The goal is to increase use of regional councils in research and practice and for redistricting based on regional communities.
This document proposes a new global region-builder geo-code system to enable regional analysis across jurisdictions. The current Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes from the 1960s limit regional analysis by alphabetically coding states and counties. The proposed system addresses this by assigning numeric codes to increasingly larger geographic regions based on proximity, from continents down to counties. It includes examples applying the codes to analyze population changes in Virginia regions and densities excluding urban areas. The goal is to engage researchers and practitioners to develop this system for multi-regional data analysis and comparison over time.
Governors, state legislators and officials, and citizens increasingly recognize energy efficiency---the kilowatt-hours and gallons of water or gasoline that we DON'T use, thanks to improved technologies and practices--- as the cheapest, cleanest and quickest energy resource to deploy.
(The 2010 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard--ACEEE) States continue to offer substantial financial incentives to help save consumers money, boost local economies by creating jobs, and improve the environment. An increasing number of states are raising energy efficiency budgets and funding levels; adopting energy efficient policies and improving building codes. Utility and public programs; combined heat & power applications, cash incentives, rebates and tax benefits are at an all time high level of availability. All of these contribute to improving the Return on Investment associated with new construction and major renovations. The time has never been more appropriate or more lucrative to incorporate energy efficiency and alternative energy resources into your energy portfolio.
This document outlines a geocode system for U.S. states that includes the state name, FIPS code, census region, and delicious tag geocode with substate region field for each state. States are arranged in geographic order from north to south and east to west within their census region. Each state is also assigned a number that corresponds to its position within its census region.
Prototype Global Coding of Political Geographies for Library and Data Managem...Tom Christoffel
Abstract
Regional geographic analysis in the United States is constrained by the alphabetic FIPS codes which were assigned in the 1960’s. Base codes were assigned alphabetically for states, then alphabetically for counties and comparable geographies within states, making it simple to lookup individual state or county data in a list, but offering no geographic information on proximity. Some regional aggregation was done in the establishment of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), which were separately coded. At the same time, there was no comparable national system to aggregate non-metropolitan counties into standard regions, although most states established some form of multi-county regional councils. Some, like Virginia, used sub-state districts for data aggregation and use by other State agencies, allowing the region number to act like a FIPS code that also embedded geographic information.
The author began work in 1998 on the issue. A review of other national and international systems led to the conclusion that a global geocode system was needed, since existing formats were based on the alphabetic approach which could be handled by early computing. Economists Jeffery Sachs and James K. Galbraith have expressed interest in such a system, as Professor Sach opened his 2012 AAG address by saying that “economists think counties are arranged alphabetically on the globe, since that is the way the data appears.” The purpose of this paper is to present the prototype design for the purpose of further consideration by the user communities.
The system is based on a geocode scheme set up for earth that focuses on established political boundaries as a basis for regional grouping of nations, states and localities. It is decimal system based to take advantage of the sort criteria for numbers in computers. It utilized the Sector Group and Region codes of the United Nations and ISO. Geographic information system technology does not solve the problem, but its tools can be used with the geocodes.
The geocode system effectively organizes Wikipedia entries as a library management and the geocodes can be used for data aggregation. This has been developed under a Creative Commons license and would benefit from a global network implementation where local users cooperatively related subnational geographic regions and component political geography.
Papers in Applied Geography, Volume 36, 2013
virginia regions a model strategic framework for partnering, collaboration an...Tom Christoffel
Virginia has established regional planning districts to encourage cooperation across local government boundaries. Planning District 7 encompasses counties and towns in the Northern Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Over time, as the population grew and needs increased, organizations were established to serve the region collaboratively on issues like economic development, transportation, and social services. The framework of having consistent regions defined by the state, and state support and data collection for those regions, has led to greater partnership and cooperation compared to models in other states that lack clear regional designations.
2000.04.15 a 2050 transportation vision rt 17 exurban regionTom Christoffel
2050 Transportation Vision given in the year 2000 for the RADCO - now George Washington Regional Commission covering the Virginia exurban regions of the Washington, D.C.-Northern Virginia - metropolitan area - Planning Districts 7, 9 and 16
First Presented July 20, 1998 at
The World Future Society Conference
FutureQuest: Strategies for the New Millennium – Chicago, this launched the Regions Work Initiative and set out the Action Plan that is still being pursued today.
Plan-Do: Defining and Achieving Your Life GoalsTom Christoffel
This document outlines exercises to help the reader uncover their life goals and develop a personal planning process. It begins with an introduction explaining the author's own experience lacking life goals and developing a plan using index cards. It then defines key planning terms and describes four exercises: 1) Writing down 5 important goals for the next 6 months, 2) Creating "I am" cards to identify strengths/roles, 3) Mind mapping one's life, and 4) Creating a comprehensive to-do list. The document aims to help the reader gain clarity around who they are and what they want to achieve to develop an effective personal plan.
This document proposes a new global region-builder geo-code system to enable regional analysis across jurisdictions. The current Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) codes from the 1960s limit regional analysis by alphabetically coding states and counties. The proposed system addresses this by assigning numeric codes to increasingly larger geographic regions based on proximity, from continents down to counties. It includes examples applying the codes to analyze population changes in Virginia regions and densities excluding urban areas. The goal is to engage researchers and practitioners to develop this system for multi-regional data analysis and comparison over time.
Governors, state legislators and officials, and citizens increasingly recognize energy efficiency---the kilowatt-hours and gallons of water or gasoline that we DON'T use, thanks to improved technologies and practices--- as the cheapest, cleanest and quickest energy resource to deploy.
(The 2010 State Energy Efficiency Scorecard--ACEEE) States continue to offer substantial financial incentives to help save consumers money, boost local economies by creating jobs, and improve the environment. An increasing number of states are raising energy efficiency budgets and funding levels; adopting energy efficient policies and improving building codes. Utility and public programs; combined heat & power applications, cash incentives, rebates and tax benefits are at an all time high level of availability. All of these contribute to improving the Return on Investment associated with new construction and major renovations. The time has never been more appropriate or more lucrative to incorporate energy efficiency and alternative energy resources into your energy portfolio.
This document outlines a geocode system for U.S. states that includes the state name, FIPS code, census region, and delicious tag geocode with substate region field for each state. States are arranged in geographic order from north to south and east to west within their census region. Each state is also assigned a number that corresponds to its position within its census region.
Prototype Global Coding of Political Geographies for Library and Data Managem...Tom Christoffel
Abstract
Regional geographic analysis in the United States is constrained by the alphabetic FIPS codes which were assigned in the 1960’s. Base codes were assigned alphabetically for states, then alphabetically for counties and comparable geographies within states, making it simple to lookup individual state or county data in a list, but offering no geographic information on proximity. Some regional aggregation was done in the establishment of Metropolitan Statistical Areas (MSA), which were separately coded. At the same time, there was no comparable national system to aggregate non-metropolitan counties into standard regions, although most states established some form of multi-county regional councils. Some, like Virginia, used sub-state districts for data aggregation and use by other State agencies, allowing the region number to act like a FIPS code that also embedded geographic information.
The author began work in 1998 on the issue. A review of other national and international systems led to the conclusion that a global geocode system was needed, since existing formats were based on the alphabetic approach which could be handled by early computing. Economists Jeffery Sachs and James K. Galbraith have expressed interest in such a system, as Professor Sach opened his 2012 AAG address by saying that “economists think counties are arranged alphabetically on the globe, since that is the way the data appears.” The purpose of this paper is to present the prototype design for the purpose of further consideration by the user communities.
The system is based on a geocode scheme set up for earth that focuses on established political boundaries as a basis for regional grouping of nations, states and localities. It is decimal system based to take advantage of the sort criteria for numbers in computers. It utilized the Sector Group and Region codes of the United Nations and ISO. Geographic information system technology does not solve the problem, but its tools can be used with the geocodes.
The geocode system effectively organizes Wikipedia entries as a library management and the geocodes can be used for data aggregation. This has been developed under a Creative Commons license and would benefit from a global network implementation where local users cooperatively related subnational geographic regions and component political geography.
Papers in Applied Geography, Volume 36, 2013
virginia regions a model strategic framework for partnering, collaboration an...Tom Christoffel
Virginia has established regional planning districts to encourage cooperation across local government boundaries. Planning District 7 encompasses counties and towns in the Northern Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia. Over time, as the population grew and needs increased, organizations were established to serve the region collaboratively on issues like economic development, transportation, and social services. The framework of having consistent regions defined by the state, and state support and data collection for those regions, has led to greater partnership and cooperation compared to models in other states that lack clear regional designations.
2000.04.15 a 2050 transportation vision rt 17 exurban regionTom Christoffel
2050 Transportation Vision given in the year 2000 for the RADCO - now George Washington Regional Commission covering the Virginia exurban regions of the Washington, D.C.-Northern Virginia - metropolitan area - Planning Districts 7, 9 and 16
First Presented July 20, 1998 at
The World Future Society Conference
FutureQuest: Strategies for the New Millennium – Chicago, this launched the Regions Work Initiative and set out the Action Plan that is still being pursued today.
Plan-Do: Defining and Achieving Your Life GoalsTom Christoffel
This document outlines exercises to help the reader uncover their life goals and develop a personal planning process. It begins with an introduction explaining the author's own experience lacking life goals and developing a plan using index cards. It then defines key planning terms and describes four exercises: 1) Writing down 5 important goals for the next 6 months, 2) Creating "I am" cards to identify strengths/roles, 3) Mind mapping one's life, and 4) Creating a comprehensive to-do list. The document aims to help the reader gain clarity around who they are and what they want to achieve to develop an effective personal plan.
This document describes the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtable process, which began in 2005 as a way to coordinate regional planning across broader regions and states. It has since expanded participation and aims to address issues like transportation, hazard mitigation, and infrastructure from a regional perspective. The roundtable also discusses using regional councils as the unit for comparative multi-county regional analysis over time to better inform planning.
This earlier paper is setting the foundation for substate region codes with the setting of State geo-codes. The 2011 version also here shows the current development.
U.S. Substate District-Regional Council as a Geospatial Unit of Analytical Ge...Tom Christoffel
The document proposes a new geospatial coding system for sub-state regional units in the United States based on existing regional council boundaries. It assigns a numeric code to each state and region based on their geographic location to allow for easier aggregation and analysis of regional data compared to the existing alphabetic coding system. The new system is intended to make regional networks and data more visible and enable multi-regional analyses across state boundaries. Tables show the proposed numeric codes for each state and region based on the U.S. Census Bureau's existing regional divisions. Maps linked for each state show their regional council boundaries.
Global region builder geo-codes.appendix-c-mid-atlantic.sub-state.district.ge...Tom Christoffel
This document contains information about county and multi-county region geo-codes for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and other states. It includes three-digit sub-state region codes, region names, county names, state and region geo-codes, FIPS codes for counties and states, and directional indicators for states.
Global region builder geo-codes.appendix-b-alphabetic.listing.of.geographies....Tom Christoffel
This document provides a summary of country codes and identifiers for global geographies. It includes a table with 3-letter country codes, 2-letter country codes, 3-digit numeric codes, and country name abbreviations used by different international organizations for identification purposes. The table is sorted alphabetically by country name.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtable Program History, Goals and Objectives Tom Christoffel
This paper summarizes the history of the development and evolution of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtables from their inception in 2005 to the 7th event in 2010. This effort has led to the development of a Mind-Atlantic Regional Planning Learning Network
Program History, Goals and Objectives
The Local-Regional.Community Scales for cross boundary collaboration and coop...Tom Christoffel
This document proposes a scale for defining different levels of regions from local to global. It suggests that a county would be considered a level 1 regional scale, while an organization like a regional planning commission serving multiple counties would be a level 2 region. Higher levels include multi-state regions at level 4, nations at level 5, and the largest scale as level 7 which would include entities like the United Nations or World Trade Organization spanning the entire planet. The scale is meant to provide a standardized way to classify the size and scope of different political and geographical regions.
El Puerto de Algeciras continúa un año más como el más eficiente del continente europeo y vuelve a situarse en el “top ten” mundial, según el informe The Container Port Performance Index 2023 (CPPI), elaborado por el Banco Mundial y la consultora S&P Global.
El informe CPPI utiliza dos enfoques metodológicos diferentes para calcular la clasificación del índice: uno administrativo o técnico y otro estadístico, basado en análisis factorial (FA). Según los autores, esta dualidad pretende asegurar una clasificación que refleje con precisión el rendimiento real del puerto, a la vez que sea estadísticamente sólida. En esta edición del informe CPPI 2023, se han empleado los mismos enfoques metodológicos y se ha aplicado un método de agregación de clasificaciones para combinar los resultados de ambos enfoques y obtener una clasificación agregada.
Essential Tools for Modern PR Business .pptxPragencyuk
Discover the essential tools and strategies for modern PR business success. Learn how to craft compelling news releases, leverage press release sites and news wires, stay updated with PR news, and integrate effective PR practices to enhance your brand's visibility and credibility. Elevate your PR efforts with our comprehensive guide.
Here is Gabe Whitley's response to my defamation lawsuit for him calling me a rapist and perjurer in court documents.
You have to read it to believe it, but after you read it, you won't believe it. And I included eight examples of defamatory statements/
An astonishing, first-of-its-kind, report by the NYT assessing damage in Ukraine. Even if the war ends tomorrow, in many places there will be nothing to go back to.
Acolyte Episodes review (TV series) The Acolyte. Learn about the influence of the program on the Star Wars world, as well as new characters and story twists.
This document describes the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtable process, which began in 2005 as a way to coordinate regional planning across broader regions and states. It has since expanded participation and aims to address issues like transportation, hazard mitigation, and infrastructure from a regional perspective. The roundtable also discusses using regional councils as the unit for comparative multi-county regional analysis over time to better inform planning.
This earlier paper is setting the foundation for substate region codes with the setting of State geo-codes. The 2011 version also here shows the current development.
U.S. Substate District-Regional Council as a Geospatial Unit of Analytical Ge...Tom Christoffel
The document proposes a new geospatial coding system for sub-state regional units in the United States based on existing regional council boundaries. It assigns a numeric code to each state and region based on their geographic location to allow for easier aggregation and analysis of regional data compared to the existing alphabetic coding system. The new system is intended to make regional networks and data more visible and enable multi-regional analyses across state boundaries. Tables show the proposed numeric codes for each state and region based on the U.S. Census Bureau's existing regional divisions. Maps linked for each state show their regional council boundaries.
Global region builder geo-codes.appendix-c-mid-atlantic.sub-state.district.ge...Tom Christoffel
This document contains information about county and multi-county region geo-codes for New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, and other states. It includes three-digit sub-state region codes, region names, county names, state and region geo-codes, FIPS codes for counties and states, and directional indicators for states.
Global region builder geo-codes.appendix-b-alphabetic.listing.of.geographies....Tom Christoffel
This document provides a summary of country codes and identifiers for global geographies. It includes a table with 3-letter country codes, 2-letter country codes, 3-digit numeric codes, and country name abbreviations used by different international organizations for identification purposes. The table is sorted alphabetically by country name.
Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtable Program History, Goals and Objectives Tom Christoffel
This paper summarizes the history of the development and evolution of the Mid-Atlantic Regional Planning Roundtables from their inception in 2005 to the 7th event in 2010. This effort has led to the development of a Mind-Atlantic Regional Planning Learning Network
Program History, Goals and Objectives
The Local-Regional.Community Scales for cross boundary collaboration and coop...Tom Christoffel
This document proposes a scale for defining different levels of regions from local to global. It suggests that a county would be considered a level 1 regional scale, while an organization like a regional planning commission serving multiple counties would be a level 2 region. Higher levels include multi-state regions at level 4, nations at level 5, and the largest scale as level 7 which would include entities like the United Nations or World Trade Organization spanning the entire planet. The scale is meant to provide a standardized way to classify the size and scope of different political and geographical regions.
El Puerto de Algeciras continúa un año más como el más eficiente del continente europeo y vuelve a situarse en el “top ten” mundial, según el informe The Container Port Performance Index 2023 (CPPI), elaborado por el Banco Mundial y la consultora S&P Global.
El informe CPPI utiliza dos enfoques metodológicos diferentes para calcular la clasificación del índice: uno administrativo o técnico y otro estadístico, basado en análisis factorial (FA). Según los autores, esta dualidad pretende asegurar una clasificación que refleje con precisión el rendimiento real del puerto, a la vez que sea estadísticamente sólida. En esta edición del informe CPPI 2023, se han empleado los mismos enfoques metodológicos y se ha aplicado un método de agregación de clasificaciones para combinar los resultados de ambos enfoques y obtener una clasificación agregada.
Essential Tools for Modern PR Business .pptxPragencyuk
Discover the essential tools and strategies for modern PR business success. Learn how to craft compelling news releases, leverage press release sites and news wires, stay updated with PR news, and integrate effective PR practices to enhance your brand's visibility and credibility. Elevate your PR efforts with our comprehensive guide.
Here is Gabe Whitley's response to my defamation lawsuit for him calling me a rapist and perjurer in court documents.
You have to read it to believe it, but after you read it, you won't believe it. And I included eight examples of defamatory statements/
An astonishing, first-of-its-kind, report by the NYT assessing damage in Ukraine. Even if the war ends tomorrow, in many places there will be nothing to go back to.
Acolyte Episodes review (TV series) The Acolyte. Learn about the influence of the program on the Star Wars world, as well as new characters and story twists.
The Sub-State District/Regional Council as a Geospatial Unit of Analytical Geography for the United States
1. The Sub-State District/Regional Council
as a Geospatial Unit of Analytical Geography
for the United States
by Thomas J. Christoffel, AICP, FeRSA
Regional Intelligence – Regional Communities, LLC
50th Annual meeting of the
Southern Regional Science Association
New Orleans, Louisiana
March 25, 2011
2. The Regional Analysis Problem
Regional analysis in the United States is limited by
the Federal Information Processing Standards
(FIPS) codes created in the 1960’s.
State FIPS codes were assigned alphabetically for
states beginning with 01 for Alabama.
Within states, counties and comparable
geographies were also done alphabetically beginning
with 01 then 03 – new county option.
Tyranny of the Alphabet – Easy to find individual
state or county data in a list, but not to relate one
jurisdiction to another in a table or spreadsheet.
4. Metropolitan Statistical Areas
Regional aggregation was done in the
establishment of Metropolitan Statistical
Areas (MSA), which were coded
separately.
Many of these regions matched the
geography of the Metropolitan Councils
of Government of that time.
That is no longer true. And the non-
metro counties are out in the analytic
cold.
5. MSA Limitations
The relationships which define MSAs, primarily
workforce commuting, led to their widening over
time to include more jurisdictions.
Since the geographic base changes over time,
there is no option for long term analysis of
change on a standard multi-jurisdictional regional
geography.
MSA totals obscure differences within the
underlying territory, which has lead to faulty
analysis.
Development of Micropolitan Areas is not a
solution.
7. United States Country Geo-code – 5140
In Global Geo-code Proposal
Next step is a geo-code for each State.
The U.S. Census Bureau has defined
regions and divisions.
This framework was used to develop
NSEW State geo-codes beginning in the
Northeast and moving south.
8.
9. State Geo-codes – USA - What does this accomplish?
Difference – Maine is 01 compared to FIPS 23; Alabama is
21 compared to 01
Division Geo-code Region/State Abr. FIPS
1. New England Northeast/
01 Maine ME 23
02 New Hampshire NH 33
03 Vermont VT 50
04 Massachusetts MA 25
05 Rhode Island RI 44
06 Connecticut CT 09
2. Middle Atlantic Northeast/
07 New York NY 36
08 New Jersey NJ 34
09 Pennsylvania PA 42
3. South Atlantic South/
10 Delaware DE 10
11 Maryland MD 24
12 District of Columbia DC 11
13 Virginia VA 51
14 West Virginia WV 54
15 North Carolina NC 37
16 South Carolina SC 45
17 Georgia GA 13
18 Florida FL 12
4. East South
Central South/
19 Kentucky KY 21
20 Tennessee TN 47
21 Alabama AL 01
22 Mississippi MS 28
10. Division Geo-code Region/State Abr. FIPS
5. West South
Central South/
23 Louisiana LA 22
24 Arkansas AR 05
25 Oklahoma OK 40
26 Texas TX 48
6. East North Central Midwest/
27 Michigan MI 26
28 Ohio OH 39
29 Indiana IN 18
30 Illinois IL 17
31 Wisconsin WI 55
7. West North
Central Midwest/
32 Minnesota MN 27
33 North Dakota ND 38
34 South Dakota SD 46
35 Iowa IA 19
36 Nebraska NE 31
37 Missouri MO 29
38 Kansas KS 20
8. Mountain West/
39 Montana MT 30
40 Wyoming WY 56
41 Idaho ID 16
42 Nevada NV 32
43 Utah UT 49
44 Colorado CO 08
45 New Mexico NM 35
46 Arizona AZ 04
9. Pacific West/
47 Alaska AK 02
48 Washington WA 53
49 Oregon OR 41
50 California CA 06
51 Hawaii HI 15
11. Quick look at Substate Districts/RCs
01. Maine 02. New Hampshire
38. How do geo-codes enable region-building for analysis?
Example: Mid-Atlantic Region with Regional Councils as the Unit of
Analysis State Codes 5140-08 NJ to 5140-14 WV
39. Mid-Atlantic Change by Regional Council Region – Richmond
Region in its Mid-Atlantic Context, not just Virginia
41. Loss of countryside –
viewshed? Region
land area less
Federal and State
Lands – including
Urban Areas
42. Overall density in 2005 drops when Urban areas pulled out – with
time series we could see better the sprawls as build out occurs.
43. Goals of this Presentation
The purpose of this paper is to:
Present this effort to researchers and practitioners
To find people who may be interested in this project
for analysis of other multi-jurisdictional regions in state
or multi-state geographies and
To increase visibility of regional council geography and
organizations in the U.S. As geo-political regions, they
can also be used as regional communities to be taken
into account for redistricting for State Houses and
Congressional Districts.
Thank you!