MPS partnered with Newport Collaborative Architects, Inc. to provide GIS decision-making services for the West Side Master Plan Task Force’s West Side Planning Inventory.

MPS conducted the Preferred Preservation Mapping (PPM) project. All major social, environmental, infrastructure capacities and constraints were identified and integrated into the West Side GIS database for the 7.2 sq mile area. Using a GIS grid-based analysis, land uses and natural resources were classified and rated in six resource areas; water, agricultural and silvicultural, coastal, recreation, cultural and historical, and biodiversity. This PPM analysis supports a variety of planning and development analyses. For example, the identification of areas important for preservation, those more suitable for development, areas with the least impact upon a particular resource or multiple resources, areas that could take advantage of the resources and provide opportunities for development scenarios upon them. It also enables decision-makers to compare and contrast the West Side Master Plan area to other environmentally significant areas on Aquidneck Island. A description of the PPM project, methodology, results and maps summarizing the level of importance of resources are available at www.aquidneckplanning.org/westside

The PPM project received First Place in the NEARC 2003 Map Poster Competition at the 18th Annual North East ARC Users Group Conference, November 2003, Newport, RI.