Towards the digital Land Use Plan in Finland: Developing of Interactive "Digikaava" Platform Utilizing WMS & WFS Service Sets

The understanding of the complex Land-use planning process in Finland as well as the utilization of the process results still require extensive knowledge of the sector which limits the effectiveness of the public... [ view full abstract ]

The understanding of the complex Land-use planning process in Finland as well as the utilization of the process results still require extensive knowledge of the sector which limits the effectiveness of the public participation and in many cases causes fuzzy interpretations. 

The development of the planning documentation still requires extensive processing of data, which are usually available via WMS & WFS Service Sets. As a result, these additional workflow steps have an impact on the project timetable and often lead into accumulation of errors. 

The traditional release format of the land use plan includes a set of maps, where the regulations and provisions are interpreted. In addition to zoning and regulations, the interpreter usually wants to find out the arguments used in the decision making. The interpreter is required to know how to read the zoning maps and descriptions, reports and especially, how to interpret the justifications and impact assessments. This is a clearly time consuming and difficult process, which might be simplified via digitalization. 

Our goal was to utilize agile methods in the "digikaava.fi" -platform development, proof the usability via a number of pilots as well as define best practices related to the ongoing revision of the Finnish Land Use and Building Act. The "digikaava" platform simplifies the reading process for the final interpreter into a "one-click" approach. At the same time it enhances interaction with stakeholders and improves knowledge management, maintenance, and publishing of the planning documentation.