Virginia Coastal Program: 2004 Coastal Grant Project Description and Final Summary
Project Task:
83.07
Grantee:
Middle Peninsula Planning District Commission
Project Title:
Virtual SketchUp of Overlapping-Regulatory Structure within Riparian Areas of the Middle Peninsula Coastal Zone
Project Description as Proposed:
Within the coastal landscape, especially within the area commonly referred to as the riparian zone, multi jurisdictional regulatory overlap exists. Many governmental bodies have or are not aware of the true jurisdictional claim to areas within the loosely defined riparian zone. Overlapping jurisdiction causes confusion with elected officials, government staff and the general public leading to confusing and sometime inconsistent public policy. Currently, MPPDC staff under a CZMA Section 309 grant (NA06NOS4190241) and a Virginia Sea Grant Community Development Grant is addressing Land-Water Use Conflict within the loosely defined riparian zone and is struggling with identification of jurisdiction areas. It is widely recognized that incomplete basic static planametric drawings are used to illustrate jurisdiction. Static maps do little to comprehensively identify jurisdictional boundaries within a dynamic coastal setting.
Most practicing planners will admit that due to the complex regulatory schema within the riparian zone, planametric drawings of multi jurisdictional overlap areas are not adequate for planning, education and policy development. Planametric static drawings can not functionally illustrate jurisdictional layers overlaying any given piece of land, provide information regarding the prioritization of regulations (who trumps whom), paint a clearer picture about how a property is managed or what types of regulations exists (and their different purposes). A 3D digital dynamic landscape illustration will allow the jurisdictional areas to be user activated or “clicked” and slowly overlain as a transparent hatched blanket atop the topography. Users would be able to view the “drape” as topographic and vegetative features change.
This project proposes to develop a system and method for three-dimensional dynamic illustrations of the various landscape/waterscape (1-3) examples within the loosely defined Chesapeake Bay riparian zone. For example, Google SketchUp is a GIS compatible product designed to give landscape views and three dimension perspectives that can have jurisdictional coverage “draped” over the landscape. The views can be rotated 360 degrees on all axes, just as Google Earth maps can be tilted and rotated to view landscape features. The value to users lies in the users ability to illustrate three-dimensional jurisdictions coverage and the relation to issue at hand. Benefits include better informed elected officials, staff and the general public as to where jurisdictional zones are and how regulations relate to natural features in several typical Chesapeake Bay marsh/upland areas. Where applicable, the tool will also be statically or dynamically linked to the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Programs Coastal “GEMS “Mapping System.
As a tool, Google SketchUp is defined as: “A three-dimensional design and modeling environment that allows users to draw the outlines, or perimeters, of objects in a two-dimensional manner, similar to pencil and paper, already familiar to them. The two-dimensional, planar faces created by a user can then be pushed and pulled by editing tools within the environment to easily and intuitively model three-dimensional volumes and geometries”.
Landscape Examples
Waterfront Beach Home
Yard with a creek
Residential Yard
Federal Funding:
$12,151.00
Project Contact:
Lewie Lawrence, (804) 758-2311; llawrence@mppdc.com
Project Status:
Project Completed
Final Product Received:
Project Summary Provided by Grantee:
Disclaimer: This project summary provides the federal dollars initially awarded to the grantee. Due to underexpenditure or reprogramming of grant funds, this figure may change. For more information on the allocation of coastal grant funds, please contact Laura McKay, Virginia Coastal Program Manager, at 804.698.4323 or email: Laura.McKay@deq.virginia.gov
A more detailed Scope of Work for this project is available. Please direct your request for a copy to Virginia.Witmer@deq.virginia.gov
