Innovative Master Planning and Maintenance in Orange County, California, Utilizing Unique GIS Applications

Ladera Ranch, located in South Orange County, is a Master planned community being built by Rancho Mission Viejo, LLC (RMVLLC) and their partner DMB. The 4,000 acre Ladera Ranch project is a showcase for the ultimate planned community lifestyle which includes amenities such as parks, a Sportsfield complex and the communities own “intranet” connection to enable the residents to have high tech access to events and information going on within Ladera Ranch. The completed Ladera project will have 8,100 units. These units are divided into 8 development phases and will take approximately 10 years to build out. It is anticipated that 3 of the 8 phases will be completed by the end of year 2000. In addition to the residential elements, Ladera Ranch will have two large retail areas and an “Urban Activity Center” which will compliment this community. To help plan the development and maintenance of this sprawling community in a logical and effective way, a comprehensive GIS database and a set of user friendly GIS applications were developed for the Ladera Ranch Development. Additionally, to ensure smooth progression of the project, a set of GIS applications were also developed for Santa Margarita Water District, the municipal organization, where Ladera Ranch is located.