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zoom into sections ofyour desired area and <br />import smaller, higher resolution pieces that <br />SketchUp will place in its proper geographic <br />location, allowing you to "stitch" together <br />multiple images. <br />Combined with detailed measuring <br />ability of Pictometry, SketchUp can deliver <br />a quick massing model of an area. This can <br />be used to serve as a simple reference draw- <br />ing for notes and recommendations, or as <br />a contextual model for development <br />visualization. <br />CONCLUSION <br />It is important to note <br />that the programs, <br />tools, and <br />techniques <br />covered in <br />this article <br />are not the <br />definitive list. <br />Software <br />companies <br />will continue <br />developing software, and <br />cutting -edge firms and ingenious planners <br />wilt continue to find new ways to create bet- <br />ter documents. <br />Take for instance City Engine. <br />Developed by Procedural in Switzerland <br />and recently acquired by Esri, City Engine <br />is a software application for the design, <br />planning, and modeling of cities and urban <br />environments in 3 -D. City Engine allows pro- <br />fessional users to quickly generate 3 -D cities <br />RESOURCES <br />• Google SketchUp <br />http://sketchup.google.com <br />• Google Earth <br />http://earth.google.com <br />• Adobe Photoshop <br />www.adobe.com /products /photoshop <br />• Pictometry <br />www.pictometry.com <br />• Pictomtetry Online <br />http: / /pol.pictometry.com <br />• V -Ray <br />http://chaosgroup.com <br />• City Engine <br />www.esri.com /software /cityengi n e <br />• 3D Warehouse <br />http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse <br />from existing 2 -D GIS data; do conceptual <br />design in 3 -D, based on GIS data and proce- <br />dural rules; and efficiently model <br />virtual 3-D urban environ- <br />ments for simula- <br />tion and <br />entertainment. City Engine users can "grow <br />streets" based on different parameters <br />(i.e., curvilinear, block, organic) and create <br />blocks that can be subdivided and "devel- <br />oped" based on a set of rules for setback, <br />lot size, building height, and several other <br />parameters. <br />Finally, as you begin to include and <br />introduce graphics and illustrations to <br />improve the effectiveness and user friendli- <br />e Planners can take <br />advantage of <br />Pictometry's measuring <br />tool to assist in building <br />massing models in <br />SketchUp. This <br />model represents <br />downtown Asheville, <br />North Carolina. <br />ness ofyour products, remember that every- <br />thing conveyed in this article is only a tool <br />or a technique and that supporting graphics <br />should be used appropriately. Knowing <br />when to use an illustration is as equally im- <br />portant as how to do an illustration. <br />VOL. 29, NO. 3 <br />Zoning Practice is a monthly publication of the American Planning Association. Subscriptions are <br />available for $95 (U.S.) and $12o (foreign). W. Paul Farmer, FAICP, Chief Executive Officer; William R. <br />Klein, AICP, Director of Research <br />Zoning Practice (ISSN 1548- -0135) is produced at APA. Jim Schwab, AICP, and David tvlorley, A1CP, Editors; <br />Julie Von Bergen, Assistant Editor; Lisa Barton, Design and Production. <br />Missing and damaged print issues: Contact Customer Service, American Planning 205 N. <br />Michigan Ave., Suite 12o0, Chicago, IL 6o6o1(312- 431 -91oo or customerservice[7planning.org) within <br />90 days of the publication date. Include the name of the publication, year, volume and issue number or <br />month, and your name, mailing address, and membership number if applicable. <br />Copyright ©2012 by American Planning Association, 205 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1200, Chicago, IL <br />60601-5927. The American Planning Association also has offices at 1030 15th St., NW, Suite 750 West, <br />Washington, DC 20005 -1503; www.planning.org. <br />All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any <br />means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and <br />retrieval system, without permission in writing from the American Planning Association. <br />Printed on recycled paper, including 5o -7o% recycled_fiber and io% postconsumer waste. <br />ZONING PRACTICE 3.12 <br />AMERICAN PLANNING ASSOCIATION 1poge 7 <br />