Geodatabase Allows for More Precise Planning for Future Urban Development
Project Overview
In 2021 Chronicle Heritage partnered with the City of St. Augustine, Florida in compiling a wide array of historic data sets into a single cumulative geodatabase for use by the city. This process necessitated the gathering of diverse sources of information, including archaeological reports, centuries-old historic maps, land surveys, and environmental data as well as existing spatial data for infrastructure within the city. These sources, many of which were in various formats and levels of detail, were meticulously digitized, georeferenced, and delivered with standardized metadata to ensure meticulous records for decisionmaking. The team employed advanced GIS techniques to integrate these layers, ensuring that archaeological sites, historically significant areas, and environmental sensitivities were accurately represented in the spatial database.
Our Approach
Once the geodatabase was compiled, the GIS team provided it to the municipality as a decision-support tool for future infrastructure and development planning and the basis for proposing new archaeological sensitivity zones within the city. By overlaying historical and archaeological data with current land-use information, the municipality could better identify areas of cultural and historical importance that required protection or special consideration.
The Results
Chronicle Heritage’s geodatabase enables the city to make more-informed decisions that balance development with the preservation of heritage and the environment. Additionally, the geodatabase allows for more precise planning, reducing the risk of unintended impacts on sensitive areas during future construction and urban development projects.