Integrating Fiscal-Spatial Analysis in Data-Driven Land-Use Evaluation

This thesis introduces the Land Use Fitness Index (LUFI), a new index to evaluate land-use plans by integrating spatial characteristics with fiscal outcomes. Airdrie, Alberta is used as a case study to demonstrate how LUFI can diagnose the fiscal stability of rapidly growing suburban municipalities. The framework employs Return on Investment (ROI) to classify parcels, group them into land-use clusters, and score their fitness according to the alignment between cluster composition and fiscal performance. A prototype tool extends this framework by benchmarking parcels against higher-performing analogues based on fiscal outcomes, land-use type, and neighboring context. The analysis reveals that while suburban housing dominates land consumption and total fiscal returns, it performs weakly on a per-hectare basis. In contrast, compact and mixed-use developments deliver more efficient outcomes. LUFI highlights these contrasts by distinguishing clusters of fiscal coherence from zones of underperformance, offering planners a clearer view of where land-use structures are resilient and where they are vulnerable. By integrating fiscal and spatial evaluation, LUFI offers planners a framework for diagnosing land-use stability and identifying priorities for intervention. This approach provides a clearer view of land-use performance than fiscal or spatial measures alone, and establishes a foundation for future extensions that incorporate environmental and social dimensions.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Design Research (MDR)

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Environmental Design

Grantor

Environmental Design

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Kiany, Kiarash

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Rhee, Jinmo

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Rhee, Jinmo
• de Salvatierra, Alberto Embriz
• Erdolu, Emek

• Land-Use Evaluation
• Land-Use Planning
• Data-Driven
• Geographical Information System
• Evaluation Index

Statement dc:rights

• Unless otherwise indicated, this material is protected by copyright and has been made available with authorization from the copyright owner. You may use this material in any way that is permitted by the Copyright Act or through licensing that has been assigned to the document. For uses that are not allowable under copyright legislation or licensing, you are required to seek permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

DOI

https://dx.doi.org/10.11575/PRISM/50886

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:ucalgary.scholaris.ca:1880/123641