Planejamento urbano com uso de sistema de informação geográfica: o caso de Feira de Santana, BA

Abstract

This paper highlights the role of access to data about the urban dynamics and future land use trends to inform the elaboration of municipal master plans in Brazil. We argue that the lack of access to high quality information jeopardize the efficacy of the master plans and their land use regulations. That is so because the decision about land use regulations must be informed by a good understanding of the urban dynamic affected. Without meeting such condition, the scenario of imprecision regarding the urban dynamics will not contribute to meet the national urban guidelines pertaining to socio-spatial inclusion. In order to pursue such question, the paper presents the Geographic Information System (GIS) as a tool capable of enhancing our understanding of the city. We do so by using the case of Feira de Santana, a medium sized city at Bahia, with some serious issues related to lack of urban information. By presenting the case, we understand that the main contribution of the paper relies in its spatial analysis methods, developed to inform the urban planning decision-making process.