Factors Influencing Parcelization in Amenity-Rich Rural Areas

The process of rural parcelization provides an ongoing challenge for planners targeting both habitat and farmland preservation. An understanding of which landscape features influence parcelization can help planners create more nuanced land division and zoning ordinances. We used GIS to reconstruct a historical parcel database for three towns in Wisconsin and then developed a logistic regression model to determine the extent to which parcel characteristics influence parcel subdivision. Influential predictors included proximity to roads, water, and agricultural areas as well as parcel size.