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Land use regulation can anticipate rather than respond to disasters.Land use planning has developed as a science in the last century. Before that, there was plenty of room for people to pick the best place to build whatever it was they wanted to build. As the land filled up, though, it became only logical to use dwindling resources more wisely---and to rethink existing uses of land. Most government units that regulate building and zoning employ a land use or development planner. This employee, usually an engineer, can evaluate land and identify its most sensible and publicly beneficial use. As the science of land use has grown, concepts like green space, floodplain management, mixed use and smart development have entered its lexicon. One of the current areas of study uses emergency management assessment tools to investigate whether land use planning can help mitigate the effects of disasters. -
Using green space as a "buffer" is an established planning concept.Planners have identified the benefits of green space in floodplains and to alleviate flooding and moderate urban heat islands for decades. They have learned from civil engineering that contouring land elevations and providing diversions and retention areas can help in flood management. When planners are involved, seaside development is kept to a minimum to manage risk from hurricanes. Plan commissions regularly require developers to include storm shelters in multifamily developments. These efforts point to land use planning as a way to address risk from disasters before the fact rather than just respond effectively when it occurs. International organizations such as the United Nations, World Bank, European Commission and groups like GTZ, an international cooperative for sustainable development, are working on finding ways to integrate disaster planning into land use. Their work particularly is in poorer areas where storms and earthquakes can result in catastrophic loss of life. -
Terramere "Lake" (lower right) is a retention area for the floodplain (left) of a creek.Many sciences have taken giant steps in the last 50 years. Doppler radar has revolutionized storm forecasting, satellites can identify nascent tsunamis and earthquake sensors dot the ocean floor. Land use planners are learning to identify and assess atmospheric and seismic events that can now be linked to impending disaster. Armed with this information, they can adapt building patterns and population density requirements to remove as many people as possible from harm's way when the next disaster strikes. Opening up green space, requiring additional water retention design and locating multifamily and large commercial and industrial uses away from areas most likely to be severely affected by disasters are important. Using those techniques can save lives as well as provide the "highest and best use" for land within a jurisdiction.
