GIS in land use planning: Lessons from critical theory and the Gulf Islands

Geographic information systems (GIS) assume an increasingly large role in N orth American land use planning. Although GIS is often promoted as an answe r to both democratic and sustainability issues in planning, this paper call s these premises into question and suggests a less ambitious role for GIS t echnology in the planning process in the new millennium. The contributions of critical theory to conceptions of decision making and action in planning , as well. as a case comparison study of government GIS systems and those o f community groups in British Columbia's Gulf Islands are considered. Both strains of argument lead to the conclusion that more than new technology, f resh commitments to communicate and to share planning power and responsibil ity are needed for more democratic, interactive land use planning.