Web Sites with Helpful Land Use
Information/Data
Indiana Business Research Center...
Established in 1925, the Indiana Business Research Center is an integral unit in the Kelley School of Business. The Center's executive director, Morton J. Marcus and director, James C. Smith are both economists. They, along with the IBRC demographer John Besl, interpret and analyze economic and demographic trends for the state of Indiana in a national and regional perspective.
The many web sites developed and maintained by the IBRC include:
IBRC Trends & Analysis (www.ibrc.indiana.edu)
STATS Indiana (www.stats.indiana.edu)
Census 2000 in Indiana (www.census.indiana.edu)
National Clearinghouse for the State Data Center Program,
a network of 1,500 agencies nationwide (www.sdcbidc.iupui.edu)
http://www.planningwithpower.org/
The Planning with POWER project is coordinated by the Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant College Program and the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service (CES). It is a statewide educational program that
links land use planning with watershed planning at the local level. The project is designed to empower
communities to prevent and solve natural resource problems resulting from changing land use in growing
watersheds and to empower local officials to incorporate watershed protection measures into comprehensive land use plans.
Farm Foundation is a nonprofit organization, founded in 1933, to improve the well-being of U.S.
agriculture and rural people. Farm Foundation is an operating, rather than grant making, foundation. We
take a proactive leadership role in the projects we sponsor. We provide leadership and risk funding for our
priority areas and strive to build partnerships to enhance the impacts of these programs.
Farm Foundation seeks to extend the impact of our sponsored programming to the widest possible
audience. Priority is given to projects such as conferences, seminars, and symposia with Internet
distribution of papers and presentations and follow-up activities such as executive summaries, highlight
publications and Internet proceedings.
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet
You can use American FactFinder to view, print, and download statistics about population, housing,
industry, and business. Using FactFinder, you can also find U.S. Census Bureau products; create
reference and thematic maps; and search for specific data.
http://www.census.gov/cgi-bin/datamap/state?18
From the U.S. Census Bureau, this site has specific information for the state of Indiana.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/1997/dom/971208/cover1.html
Americans are fleeing suburbia for small towns. Do their new lives equal their dreams? This DECEMBER 8, 1997 VOL. 150 NO. 24 article from Time Magazine is a must read for land use professionals.
Farmland Information Library is part of the Farmland Information Center: a project of American Farmland Trust Center for Agriculture in the Environment; funded by USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service; affiliated with USDA National Agricultural Library.
American Farmland Trust is a private, nonprofit organization founded in 1980 to protect our
nation's farmland. AFT works to stop the loss of productive farmland and to promote farming
practices that lead to a healthy environment.
The purpose of the Indiana Land Resources Council (ILRC) as stated in I.C. 15-7-9 is to "…collect information and provide educational assistance, technical assistance and advice to local governments regarding land use strategies and issues across the state."
http://www.IN.gov/legislative/ic/code/title36/ar7/ch4.html
Indiana Legislative Services maintains this website which
contains the legal language for local Planning and Zoning in Indiana. IC 36-7-4
http://theurbanrancher.tamu.edu/
The Urban Rancher. Introductory information designed for urbanites living on 1-20 acres of land in a rural setting, desiring to take ranchette living to its highest level. Maintained by Texas A&M University.
American Planning Association web site. APA is a nonprofit public interest and research organization committed to urban, suburban, regional, and rural planning. APA and its professional institute, the American Institute of Certified Planners, advance the art and science of
planning to meet the needs of people and society.
http://www.lincolninst.edu/main.html
The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy is a nonprofit and tax-exempt educational institution established in 1974. Its mission as a school is to study and teach about land policy, including land economics and land taxation. A major portion of the Institute's support comes from the Lincoln Foundation, established in 1947 by Cleveland industrialist John C. Lincoln. He drew inspiration from the ideas of Henry George, the nineteenth-century American political economist, social philosopher and author of the book, Progress and Poverty.
http://www.smartgrowth.org/default.asp
In 1996, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency joined with several non-profit and government organizations to form the Smart Growth Network (SGN). The Network was formed in response to
increasing community concerns about the need for new ways to grow that boost the economy, protect the environment, and enhance community vitality. The Network's partners include environmental groups, historic preservation organizations, professional organizations, developers, real estate interests; local and state government entities.
http://fontis.iwr.msu.edu/landuse/
Michigan State University land use. This site represents a multi-departmental effort to promote land use information dissemination for informed land use decision making. The Web Site can assist citizens in identifying land use research and outreach activities at MSU and finding information relating to MSU land use research and outreach. Links to reliable off campus web Sites related to land use are also organized and provided under specific land use categories. Additionally, this Web Site provides MSU researchers with an opportunity to share and exchange land use information and knowledge over the Web.
The Ohio State University Extension Land Use Team provides information to enable Ohio State University Extension, local and state government, and communities to address land use issues with information, educational programs, and potential strategies.
Compiled February 2002
Rick Chase
Purdue Cooperative Extension Service
Central District Office
100 International Drive Suite B
Franklin, IN 46131