National Zoning Atlas Expands

The National Zoning Atlas, a project that seeks to help citizens and policymakers understand the zoning landscape in their areas, is expanding its reach rapidly, reports Elizabeth Daigneau in Route Fifty.

“Last week, the project announced the launch of the Arizona Zoning Atlas. Roughly 36 states have been mapped, some in their entirety and others just in certain metro areas or jurisdictions.” Data is almost complete for New Mexico and Nevada, with metro areas in the works in Colorado, New York, and North Carolina.

The project lets viewers compare zoning codes and access data about lot sizes, parking requirements, and other regulations. Vermont, the state with the largest average lot size at 1.8 acres, used the atlas maps to highlight the need for reduced lot sizes. “State officials used the Vermont Zoning Atlas to show residents how most Vermont towns disappear from the map when a user selects for areas where single-family homes are allowed on lots less than one-quarter acre.”