Participatory GIS for growth management in the Cheat Lake Planning District of Monongalia County, West Virginia [electronic resource] /

by Hawthorne, Timothy L.

Participatory GIS for Growth Management in the Cheat Lake Planning District of Monongalia County, West Virginia Timothy L. Hawthorne Participatory Geographic Information Systems (PGIS) can be an effective methodology for collecting public input in local land use planning and smart growth management. PGIS-based approaches provide residents with an opportunity to discuss and map their priority land use issues and to identify land use hotspots in a way that is not typically possible in a general public meeting. This thesis research explores how community qualitative information about land use can be incorporated into a PGIS for the Cheat Lake Planning District of Monongalia County, West Virginia. The research presented in this thesis demonstrates how qualitative information strengthens land use planning and improves communication about smart growth management options at the local level. Multimedia information, such as community narratives, mental maps, and geo-referenced photographs are collected using qualitative research methods and combined with existing geo-spatial information in order to shape future political discussions about land use planning in the case study area.