Optimal Land Use Classification for Iraq Cities

Abstract

The classification of land uses in the city is an essential element for the organization and distribution of land uses when it is preparing and updating master plans for cities. The land uses in each country are divided into single, secondary, hierarchical or other classifications according to the planning requirements for land uses in the country. The problem of research is that most land-use classifications in Iraqi cities lack a uniform and convergent classification of land uses which they depend for updating or preparing the master plans, so, the studying and analyzing the classification of land uses for seven Iraqi cities, we note that there is no uniform and convergent classification, and there isn’t overlap and complementarity of land uses for the existing and future of land use classification in these cities. The aim of the research is to prepare a proposal for the classification of land uses for Iraqi cities as a reference and guide when the preparation and updating of the master plans for Iraqi cities. One of the most important research conclusions is unclear classification of the land uses in Iraqi cities either primary or secondary classification but there is a different classification of each city according to the existing of land use, and its adoption in whole or near total for future land uses. The research proposed to classify land uses into seven major classifications, including residential, economic, mixed, public services, recreational, infrastructure and other land uses, these major land uses have been classified into 19 secondary classifications and more than 60 land use in detail.