Track: Masters Thesis Competition

Abstract

In the context of sustainable urban planning, identifying an optimal land use location plays a crucial role in effectively managing land distribution. Therefore, a comprehensive evaluation of various factors influencing the choice is necessary to determine the most suitable site. This paper aims to identify an appropriate location for a police station in Azaz City using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). A novel approach is proposed by integrating service area analysis and multi-criteria analysis to minimize emergency response time. The evaluation process focuses on travel time from the existing police station within the study area. Three critical zones were generated using network analysis, each representing coverage within a one-minute travel time. These critical zones were ranked and assigned weights based on their proximity to high-crime areas and travel time from other essential facilities. The facilities were categorized into three groups, namely education, health, and tourism services. A suitability map was created to determine the priority of alternative locations, and the highly suitable area was overlaid with an aerial photograph to assess land availability. Finally, facility location-allocation techniques were utilized to select the optimal site for establishing a police station. This approach offers valuable insights for governmental bodies and urban planners seeking to make informed decisions regarding site selection.