Land suitability assessment of the Olomouc region: an application of an Urban Planner model

<p>This paper and accompanying maps focus on a land suitability assessment of the Olomouc region in the Czech Republic. All results were calculated in Urban Planner, a model designed by the authors of this paper. The method of calculation is based on a multi-criteria analysis (weighted overlay method), respects the principles of sustainable development, and allows for execution of several scenarios. The main result of this work is a set of maps. The first map sheet shows the land suitability for housing, recreation, public services, heavy industry, light industry, and transportation. The second map sheet consists of four maps showing different scenarios of land suitability for housing: one map showing the evaluation of existing proposals for housing from urban plans, and one map showing optimal areas for housing calculated by the Urban Planner model. The maps can be used as a significant source of information about the suitability of development in the Olomouc region in geographic or urban studies, both for experts and the general public. All thematic maps are on the scale of 1:125,000; supplementary maps are smaller.</p

Analytical material for planning in Olomouc, Czech Republic

<p>Urban planning in the Czech Republic is governed by the Act No. 183/2006 Coll., the Construction Act and the Ministry Decree No. 500/2006 Coll. These laws make it an obligation to create and maintain up to date Analytical Materials for Planning (Územně analytické podklady – UAP) containing four specific maps showing Territories Requiring Preservation, Territorial Challenges, Territorial Limits and Territorial Concepts. Currently, there is no uniform approach to the cartographic visualization of these maps. This article describes the process of designing the symbology and then the creating of four thematic maps that meet the requirements. The maps that have been produced through the current project are the result of collaboration between the Department of Geoinformatics, the Regional Authority of the Olomouc Region and the City of Olomouc. The joint project was focused on the creation of a comprehensive symbology for the UAP maps required by law. The new symbology respects basic cartographic rules and meets the needs of decision-making. Simultaneously the procedure for updating maps with new ones was designed. The output of the project represents the first attempt to standardize the creation of UAP maps in the Czech Republic. The Regional Authority of the Olomouc Region certified the new symbology as a recommended methodology for creating UAP maps. The symbology is currently in use in 9 of the 13 districts of Olomouc region: Olomouc, Jeseník, Lipník nad Bečvou, Šumperk, Přerov, Litovel, Hranice, Prostějov a Šternberk. All the maps are available on the public website of the Olomouc region.</p

Influence of COVID-19 on night-time lights in Czechia

Night-Time Light (NTL) satellite imagery is widely recognized and valued as a powerful tool for spatial analysis and research. Despite its global popularity, there is absence of similar studies dealing with NTL intensity in Czechia. Using VIIRS/DNB data, our study focused on analyzing the changes in night-time light intensity before and during the coronavirus restrictions. These restrictions had a substantial impact on social and economic life, particularly during the peak of pandemic, affecting not only Czechia but also other regions worldwide. A mosaic of the study area was prepared, followed by the aggregation of the original raster data to municipalities with extended power (MEPs) and calculation of the average light index (ALI). The resulting typology made it possible to identify regional differences in NTL intensity. The main hypothesis was confirmed, it was observed that the ALIexhibited a decrease of 18% in 2020, whereas in 2021, the decline averaged at 9%.</p

Using a fuzzy inference system to delimit rural and urban municipalities in the Czech republic in 2010

<p>Due to the suburbanisation process, it is becoming more difficult to properly define rural and urban areas in the Czech Republic. This delimitation problem has been intensively studied in Europe, including the Czech Republic, for decades, but only so-called ‘crisp’ rules have been set for the categorisation of urban and rural. This is no longer satisfactory because of substantial population movements. Our research focuses on applying fuzzy set theory to the delimitation of rural and urban areas and on the subsequent advanced cartographic visualisation. We used the principles of fuzzy regulation, or fuzzy inference systems, on socio-economic data to show the transitional character of municipalities. The generated Main map is at scale of 1:500,000, whereas secondary maps are at scale of 1:2,500,000. Map visualisation of municipalities in the Czech Republic provides a very unique combination of geographical information science, cartography and modern geo-computational methods. Information perception via a map is an adequate way to analyse geographic information, and the problem of delimiting rural and urban areas can be suitably visualised using these methods.</p