Creating Hazard Resilient Communities through Land-Use Planning

The Second National Assessment on Natural and Related Technological Hazards calls land-use planning the single most promising approach for bringing about sustainable hazard mitigation. This article describes the essential elements of land-use planning for hazard mitigation. It highlights important choices involved in formulating planning processes, undertaking hazard assessments, and crafting programs to manage urban development so that it is more resilient to natural hazards. Research conducted over the past two decades suggests that if local governments make the right choices in crafting land-use-planning programs, communities will be less likely to suffer severe losses of lives and property in natural disasters.