How can GIS aid urban planning?

GIS can significantly enhance urban planning by analyzing land use patterns, assessing zoning, and planning infrastructure development. It provides urban planners with powerful tools to visualize and interpret complex datasets related to geography, demographics, and environmental factors.

By analyzing land use patterns, GIS enables planners to understand how different areas are utilized, such as residential, commercial, and industrial zones. This understanding is critical for effective zoning assessments, ensuring that land use aligns with community goals and regulations. Planners can use this data to identify opportunities for development or areas needing revitalization.

Additionally, GIS supports infrastructure planning by allowing for the visualization of existing transportation networks, utilities, and service areas. Planners can simulate potential impacts of new developments, ensuring that infrastructure can support population growth and enhance community services. This holistic approach helps create more sustainable and functional urban environments.

While managing public relations and providing entertainment options or conducting economic forecasts may be ancillary or important aspects of community engagement and planning, they do not directly relate to the core capabilities of GIS in shaping land use, zoning, and infrastructure planning. Thus, option B captures the primary benefits of GIS in urban development effectively.