Pursue priority research needs and opportunities that inform a wide range of policy and management decisions.

Current priorities include applied research on residential and landowner preferences, the land use implications of terrorism, factors driving low density rural development, and survey research on local government land use training needs and the role of municipal comprehensive planning in New York state.

CaRDI will continue to develop a primary data collection and research agenda focused on land use and land use change, including research into the training needs of the state’s land use community. As appropriate, the results of the research will be integrated into the training curricula.

A sample of major efforts currently includes:

• ESP - Take advantage of the annual Cornell Empire State Poll (ESP) by developing and analyzing a suite of public knowledge, attitude, and perception questions suitable for inclusion in ESP and, over time, for time series analysis.
  
• Terrorism, Residential Location, and Property Rights - Deepen existing analysis of the extent to which fear of terrorism is or could be a factor driving people out of urban areas in New York State, as well as changing the balance of property rights.
  
• Survey of planning and zoning boards on (a) response to new board training requirements, and (b) the role of comprehensive planning in local planning and development.
  
• North Country Land Use initiative – Work with the Town of Long Lake, state and regional agencies, and other Cornell partners and regional collaborators on a new research project aimed at identifying the economic significance of state land acquisitions for community well-being.
  
• Rural Sprawl – Continue collaboration on multi-college Cornell research project on rural sprawl in the Binghamton, Rochester, and Albany “commute-sheds”.
  
• LEED ND Study Group – Facilitate and participate in training/study/research group to evaluate practical applications of the pilot Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design for Neighborhood Development standards.