Development Suitability Analysis

To determine the suitability of an area for housing development, there are several things to consider. In this map, we explore suitability surrounding land cover, soils, slopes, distance to streams, and distance to roads of the area.

The map on the left, “Equal Weighted Suitability”, depicts what equally weighted percentage amount across our five criteria points (20%) looks like. The map on the right, “Alternative Weighted Suitability”, depicts what the outcome is when different criteria are given different percentage amounts (indicated on map). The dark green is equal to a suitability rating of 5 (highest suitability rating), and dark red is equal to a rating of 2 (in this case, the lowest suitability rating).

From the resulting map and table, we can see the difference that placing weight evenly or unevenly can cause the outcome to change. This comparison can help a developer make a more informed decision.