Computer-implemented land planning system and method designed to generate at least one conceptual fit solution to a user-defined land development problem

1. A computer-implemented land planning system designed to generate at least one conceptual cost-optimized solution to a nonlinear land development problem, said system comprising:

a processor configured to electronically creating at least one candidate solution to the nonlinear land development problem, said candidate solution comprising a plurality of interrelated engineering cost measurements applicable in development of an undeveloped land site, and said plurality of engineering cost measurements being selected from a group consisting of demolition, clearing, grubbing, excavation, fill placement, retaining walls, erosion control, grading, parking lot design, access roads, curbs, gutters, asphalt, landscaping, drop inlets, manholes, piping, storm water collection, sanitary sewer collection, and potable water system; and

said processor further configured to employing an iterative, heuristic problem-solving strategy utilizing nonlinear processes to manipulate the engineering cost measurements of said candidate solution and achieve at least one cost-optimized solution to the land development problem, whereby a change to one of said plurality of engineering cost measurements for said candidate solution effects a change to another of said plurality of engineering cost measurements for that candidate solution; and

an output device configured to transmit output data illustrating the cost-optimized solution to the land development problem, wherein said cost-optimized solution comprises a site plan applicable for use in development of the land site.

2. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 1 , and comprising means for accessing user preferences for the undeveloped land site.

3. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 2 , and comprising means for penalizing a fitness score of a candidate solution based on violation of a user preference.

4. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 1 , and comprising means for accessing land development constraints for the undeveloped land site.

5. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 1 , and comprising means for digitally representing the undeveloped land site in three-dimensional space.

6. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 5 , and comprising means for conceptually locating said engineering cost measurements within said three-dimensional space.

7. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 1 , and comprising means for transmitting output data to the user, said output data comprises documentation including at least one computer-generated drawing.

8. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 7 , wherein said output data transmitted to the user further comprises documentation including an itemized cost listing of said engineering cost measurements.

9. The computer-implemented land planning system according to claim 7 , wherein said output data is transmitted to the user via a global communications network.

10. A computer-implemented land planning method designed to generate at least one conceptual cost-optimized solution to a nonlinear land development problem, said method comprising:

using a computer, electronically creating at least one candidate solution to the nonlinear land development problem, the candidate solution comprising a plurality of interrelated engineering cost measurements applicable in development of an undeveloped land site, and the plurality of engineering cost measurements being selected from a group consisting of demolition, clearing, grubbing, excavation, fill placement, retaining walls, erosion control, grading, parking lot design, access roads, curbs, gutters, asphalt, landscaping, drop inlets, manholes, piping, storm water collection, sanitary sewer collection, and potable water system;

using a computer, employing an iterative heuristic problem-solving strategy utilizing nonlinear processes to manipulate the engineering cost measurements of the candidate solution until at least one cost-optimized solution to the land development problem is achieved, whereby a change to one of the plurality of engineering cost measurements for the candidate solution effects a change to another of the plurality of engineering cost measurements for that candidate solution; and

receiving output data illustrating the cost-optimized solution to the land development problem, wherein the cost-optimized solution comprises a site plan applicable for use in development of the land site.

11. The computer-implemented land planning method according to claim 10 , and comprising accessing user preferences for the undeveloped land site.

12. The computer-implemented land planning method according to claim 10 , and comprising accessing land development constraints for the undeveloped land site.

13. The computer-implemented land planning method according to claim 10 , and comprising electronically transmitting the cost-optimized solution to the nonlinear land development problem.

14. The computer-implemented land planning method according to claim 13 , wherein electronically transmitting the cost-optimized solution comprises transmitting at least one of a drawing and data including an itemized cost listing of the engineering cost measurements.

15. The computer-implemented land planning method according to claim 13 , wherein electronically transmitting the cost-optimized solution comprises transmitting data via a global communications network.

16. A computer program product including program instructions tangibly stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium to cause a computing device to perform a method designed to generate at least one conceptual cost-optimized solution to a user-defined nonlinear land development problem, said method comprising:

using a computer, electronically creating at least one candidate solution to the nonlinear land development problem, the candidate solution comprising a plurality of interrelated engineering cost measurements applicable in development of an undeveloped land site, and the plurality of engineering cost measurements being selected from a group consisting of demolition, clearing, grubbing, excavation, fill, retaining walls, erosion control, finish grading, exporting earth, importing earth, drainage, pond height, parking lot design, access roads, paving, curbs, gutters, asphalt, landscaping, drop inlets, manholes, pipes, pipe size, pipe paths, storm water collection system, sanitary sewer collection system, and potable water system; and

using a computer, employing an iterative heuristic problem-solving strategy utilizing nonlinear processes to manipulate the engineering cost measurements of the candidate solution until at least one cost-optimized solution to the nonlinear land development problem is achieved, whereby a change to one of the plurality of engineering cost measurements for the candidate solution effects a change to another of the plurality of engineering cost measurements for that candidate solution; and

receiving output data illustrating the cost-optimized solution to the land development problem, wherein the cost-optimized solution comprises a site plan applicable for use in development of the land site.

17. The computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises accessing user preferences for the undeveloped land site.

18. The computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises accessing land development constraints for the undeveloped land site.

19. The computer program product according to claim 16 , wherein the method further comprises transmitting the cost-optimized solution to the nonlinear land development problem.

20. The computer program product according to claim 19 , wherein transmitting the cost-optimized solution comprises transmitting at least one of a drawing and data including an itemized cost listing of the engineering cost measurements.