DATE:     12/14/00
CONTACT:  Robert Becker,  (864) 656-0227
WRITER:   Diane Palmer, (864) 656-4741

Strom Thurmond Institute
wins award for planning

     CLEMSON - Clemson University's Strom Thurmond Institute (STI) 
of Government and Public Affairs has been recognized for outstanding
planning efforts in connection with a study of projected growth in 
the Charleston area.
     The Innovative Use of Technology in Planning Practice award 
was presented by the South Carolina Chapter of the American Planning
Association (SCAPA). The STI project, led by research associate Jeff
Allen, was entitled "Charleston 2030 Predicted Urban Growth Study."
     SCAPA conducts an awards program every two years to recognize
outstanding achievements that advance the art and science of planning
in the Palmetto State.  
     Building on earlier research by the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester
Council of Governments and the S.C. Department of Natural Resources, 
the STI developed an integrated geographic information systems (GIS)
model to predict the extent of the Charleston urban area by the year
2030. The STI planning team took the effort further by exploring what
additional changes will occur in the region over the next three 
decades given current development conditions.
     The GIS model that emerged from the research combines a
statistical approach with expert opinion to predict future growth
patterns. The project has led to a number of policy initiatives at 
the local level as well as heightened awareness of efforts throughout
the state, according to Robert Becker, STI director and professor.
     "The work by Jeff Allen and his team allows communities a 
glimpse of a possible future," said Becker. "The growth model is
a tool to stimulate discussion regarding the benefits and impacts
of that future."
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