Spatial Analysis of Urban Parks by GIS and Multi Attribute Decision making Methods, Case Study: NOOR-ABAD City

Introduction Intense growth of cities، nowadays، particularly in the Third World، exacerbate the negative outcomes such as sprawl growth، marginalization، degraded urban green areas، kinds of pollutions and. So، public land uses especially public green spaces، have got major deficiencies in terms of size and spatial distribution. So the Spatial Analysis of urban parks using appropriate methods and indicators is important. Because due to unrestricted growth of cities and many problems، such as none proper allocation and locating of activities in the city، lack of attention to per capita، standards، and etc.، the spatial distribution of the green spaces involved major problems. In this background، the major questions are as follows: 1) whether the number and spatial distribution of existing parks provide suitable access for all citizens? 2) Is existing parks located in suitable area and locations? Accordingly، this study aims to evaluate the spatial location of NOOR-ABAD city''s parks based on the favorite indicators and methods and provide appropriate response to the above questions. Moreover، identification of residential areas with limited access to parks، identification of parks those have unsuitable location، as well as spatial organizing of NOOR-ABAD city''s parks. In this regard، with preparing the theoretical framework and based on the case study characteristics، two hypotheses were presented relate to the above mentioned questions. 2 – Methodology Relate to the nature of hypotheses and its variables، for test the hypotheses، the descriptive analytical methodology was used. According to the indicators، the needed data were gathered by library method. Legal area of NOOR-ABAD city is the study area of this research. Gathered data organized in AutoCAD and GIS software and prepared for analysis. Methods of data analyzing and test hypotheses are as follows: Test of first hypothesis was done with qualitative-descriptive method and logical argumentation. So، for investigation of suitability of number and spatial distribution of parks to provision good access، status of NOOR-ABAD city''s parks analyzed by indicators such as: radius of operation، per capita and area standards of green space land use، population threshold and access status. Then، base on the difference between existing and desired condition according to each indicators، we judged about the hypothesis. For this investigation، we used the GIS functions such as: distance، Buffer، overlay and Thiessen. Test of second hypothesis، also، was done with qualitative- descriptive method and base on logical argumentation. So، when the amount of location suitability of existing parks determined by weighted overlay function of GIS، if all of the parks located on high rank area of suitability، the hypothesis is reject. But، if even one of the existing parks located on low rank area of suitability، the hypothesis is confirm. 3 – Conclusion The result shows that in NOOR-ABAD city، there is two neighborhood parks، and to covering entire area of the city with favorite radius of 550 meters، we need at least 7 new parks. Based on favorite coverage radius and Thiessen analysis، many section of the city have not covered and there is not suitable access to neighborhood parks. At two neighborhoods، also، the per capita of parks is under the standard level. Moreover، at other neighborhoods، there is no neighborhood park. So، neighborhood parks are not according to existing standard of number and spatial distributions. Thus، the first hypothesis confirmed. Relate to second hypothesis، the results showed that more than one of the existing parks located on low rank area of suitability. So، second hypothesis is confirmed، also. The results showed that the location and site of public green spaces related to different parameters. The parameters which can create quiet، safe and accessible spaces or vice versa. Thus، attention to number and spatial distribution is not sufficient، and the other parameters relate to location suitability must be regarded. In conclusion، for favorite development of parks and appropriate spatial distribution، get attention to indicators and composed method that offered in this research is necessary.