Introduction
A well-known trend in developed countries is their high levels of urbanization; for example, 82% of the population in the United States and 91% in Japan live in urban areas. It is estimated that by 2050, the urban population will comprise more than 70% of the world’s total population. Concurrently, there is a rapid migration of rural residents to urban areas, posing numerous challenges for cities. Consequently, the indiscriminate expansion of cities has become a global issue, currently affecting over half of the world’s population, and significantly driving physical development.
In Iran, a key characteristic of urbanization is the rapid physical expansion of cities. New developments have precipitated swift changes and transformations within these urban centers. This transformation, characterized by rapid population growth and physical expansion, has been unbalanced and uncoordinated. 
The surge in population and the desire for urbanization have fueled the rapid growth of urban centers in a continuous and inevitable trend. This expansion often involves unplanned construction and significant changes to the spatial landscape surrounding cities, particularly encroaching on agricultural lands, without adequately addressing environmental preservation needs. 
Despite these challenges and the limited spaces available for urban development, it is crucial to identify effective mechanisms to manage the growth and dynamism of cities logically and correctly, address subsequent issues, and thoughtfully plan to select optimal locations for future development. This research aimed to determine the optimal directions for the development of Sardasht City, assisting planners and decision-makers in addressing urban issues and preventing uneven and unbalanced development in unsuitable directions.
In this context, the current research aims to answer the question: “What are the suitable areas for the optimal physical development of Sardasht City with a crisis management approach?”

Methods
This research is applied in purpose and descriptive-analytical in method. In the descriptive phase, the necessary information and data were gathered through library and documentary research. Additionally, a questionnaire was distributed among professors, doctoral candidates, and senior students in the field of geography to collect opinions for paired judgments in the fuzzy network analytical process (FANP). Relevant information was also obtained from the Sardasht City Municipality and the Sardasht Road and Urban Development Department. The initial step in determining the suitable location for the city’s physical development involved retrospective and library research. After the questionnaire for pairwise comparisons of criteria was designed, and completed, and its deficiencies corrected, the finalized questionnaire, consisting of 20 items covering 10 criteria, was distributed among the research sample. The content validity of the questionnaire was verified by subject matter experts, and its reliability was confirmed through a Cronbach’s α score of 0.820, indicating a high level of reliability for the research tool. Following the collection of data related to paired judgments in the FANP and determining the final weights of the criteria used, all information layers were managed in a geographic information system. Subsequently, using GIS software, the final analysis was conducted, and the optimal locations for the future physical development of the city were identified. 

Results
Optimal directions for the future physical development of Sardasht City were determined using 10 criteria: Slope direction, distance from the city center, distance from water sources, elevation, distance from main roads, proximity to forest protection areas, slope percentage, land use, distance from waterways, and distance from faults. 
For a proper evaluation of urban development using the fuzzy integrated model of the analytic network process (ANP), each of the layers needs to be fuzzified. Layers should be in raster format for fuzzification; therefore, point and line layers (such as faults, city center, water sources, main roads, and waterways) were processed using Euclidean distance analysis. Polygon layers (forest areas and land use) were classified based on their suitability for urban development and then converted into raster layers using the feature-to-raster function. After rasterization, all layers were reclassified, and a fuzzy membership analysis was performed on each. Using commands in ARCGIS software, a fuzzy map indicating urban development suitability was generated for each layer. In the subsequent step, using the raster calculator command, each criterion was multiplied by its corresponding weight. Then, by employing the fuzzy overlay command and applying the gamma operator to superimpose the layers, the final land suitability map for urban development was obtained. This map shows that areas with a weight of one are the most suitable for development, while those with a weight of zero are the least suitable. 

Conclusion 
According to the analyses conducted using ArcGIS software, which identified the obstacles and limitations to development in Sardasht City, it appears that the city’s development is predominantly oriented toward the northeast and south directions. Therefore, it is recommended that basic infrastructure such as educational, university, medical, and sports facilities be situated along the axes of the city’s future development. Additionally, a comprehensive and executable plan should be prepared to preserve water areas, wetlands, and forest lands. It is also suggested that laws be established and continuous monitoring be implemented to prevent land parceling and control the ownership of surrounding urban lands, ensuring that all construction aligns with the country’s general policies and strategic executive plans. Given the limitation of suitable lands in Sardasht City and the natural and human obstacles to urban development, the future expansion of the city should adhere to urban development principles and standards, favoring vertical development to optimize land use and conserve natural capital. Development should be restricted in areas unsuitable for urban expansion, including fault-prone areas at risk of earthquakes. Measures should be taken while respecting the integrity of these areas. The limited space and capacity of the land surrounding the city should also be taken into account, with recommendations to rejuvenate worn-out urban areas and consider the city’s susceptibility to earthquakes. Urban constructions should be designed to offer the necessary resistance against seismic activities.

Ethical Considerations

Compliance with ethical guidelines
Ethical principles have been observed in this research.

Funding
This research did not receive any grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or non-profit sectors.

Authors' contributions
The authors contributed equally to preparing this paper.

Conflicts of interest
The authors declared no conflict of interest.





References