The confluence project is a plan to revitalize downtown Eau Claire by constructing a community arts center in additon to a mixed-use apartment-commercial building in order to foster economic growth. The purpose of this assignment was to compile a series of basemaps to show civil divisions, census boundaries, PLSS features, parcel divisions, zoning, and voting districts in the area surrounding the proposed location for Eau Claire confluence project. In addition, this project introduced me to the Public Land Survey System and how to build a layout with major thematic feature classes.
Methods:
Before major feature classes could be mapped individually, I created a blank geodatabase using ArcGIS software to serve as the storage location for data I wished to add. This allowed me to digitize the area of the proposed site and add it as a feature class in the geodatabase. Next, I created six separate dataframes to highlight one of the desired feature classes (civil divisions, census boundaries, PLSS features, parcel divisions, zoning, and voting districts) in addition to the newly digitized proposed site.
The first map displays civil divisions. In order to create this map, I first added a basemap of world imagery to serve as a spatial reference for the data. Next, I added the county boundary as a hollow feature with a bright outline to contrast with the darker basemap. The civil divisions data were added to the map as a transparent feature so that the basemap could still be made visible for reference. Lastly, the proposed site layer was added on top and the legend and scale were added.
The second map shows the 2007 population density of the area around the proposed site. I added the World Imagery basemap for reference, the block groups dataset as a transparent layer, and the tracts data as a hollow layer so that all features could be seen. The block groups feature class was symbolized by 2007 population and normalized by square miles in order to represent population density. Lastly, the proposed site layer was added on top and the legend and scale were added.
The third map illustrates the Public Land Survey System quarter-quarter lines with reference to the proposed site. The World Imagery basemap was placed underneath the hollow PLSS quarter-quarter lines so both features could be represented. Lastly, the proposed site layer was added on top and the legend and scale were included.
The fourth map represents parcel divisions surrounding the proposed site. First, the water, centerlines, and parcel area layers were added as transparent features on top of the World Imagery basemap. The water layer was made a dark blue because the color is most often associated with water on maps and because it stood out against the green land surface. Parcel divisions and centerlines were changed to a bright yellow color so that they could be best distinguished from all other features. Lastly, the proposed site layer was added on top as a bright red and the legend and scale were included.
The fifth map shows zoning in the Eau Claire area and is the most visually complex map of the six. To create this map, Zoning data was added on top of the World Imagery basemap. This feature was symbolized according to the zoning classification by using information from the attribute table. Data was grouped into six major zoning classes: Commerical, residential, transportation, industrial, public property, and central business district. Each class was represented by a distinguishing color before the centerlines and proposed site layer were added.
The sixth map displays voting districts around the site. This map was created by adding voting districts as a transparent, dark blue layer to the World Imagery basemap. Voting districts were labeled by ward number, and the district boundaries were made orange to contrast with the blue fill color. Lastly, the proposed site layer was added on top as a bright red and the legend and scale were included.
Results:
Together, the series of maps shown in Figure 1 illustrates a number of features surrounding the proposed site. Based on the census boundaries maps, it is seen that the confluence will be at the heart of the most densely populated part of the city. The zoning map shows that it is also in the middle of the central business district where it will likely enhance tourism, the tax base, and economic and cultural growth.
Figure 1
Source: City of Eau Claire and Eau Claire County 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment