Skip to content

policyclub/zoning-metadata

Repository files navigation

Estimating the impacts of CA SB 827

In January 2018 California State Senator Wiener introduced Senate Bill 827 Planning and zoning: transit-rich housing bonus or for short SB 827. This bill has the potential to be the most impactful housing bill the state has passed since 1978's Prop 13 and as such there's been a lot of public response to the bill. This repo was started by the Policy Club to estimate the specific impacts of SB 827 on the City of Los Angeles. This repo is set up such that by contributing a few files one could extend this analysis to estimate the impacts of SB 827 on other California cities.

Data for the Map

In order to create the map for a city, we need 3 things: (1) a Zoning file as a geojson (2) a zoning attributes file and (3) transit data, specifically a high quality transit definition.

(1) Zoning File (GeoJSON)

We used the City of LA's zoning file, downloaded as .geojson from the LA City Geohub. The zoning file must contain an attribute called zone, which will be used to join it with the zoning attributes file.

(2) Zoning Attributes Table (CSV)

For each unique zone type in the zoning spatial file, you'll need to describe it in an attributes table. In the zoning-metadata.csv file, you'll need to provide True/False data for six new fields for SB 827.

  • sb_827_parking: True if parking requirements are wavied
  • sb_827_FAR: True if the FAR requirements are changed.
  • sb_827_res_density: True if there are requirements on minimum residental density that are removed.
  • sb_827_height_quarter_mile: True if the height limit is increased if within 1/4 quarter mile of a trasit stop.
  • sb_827_height_half_mile: Same as above, but for the 1/2 mile heights, rather than the quarter mile heights.
  • sb_827_non_res: True if the zone is a non-residential type (ie, Industrial, Park, Government Center). Additionaly

Example table (only first three, and last six columns shown)

zone zone type use sb_827_parking sb_827_FAR sb_827_res_density sb_827_height_quarter_mile sb_827_height_half_mile sb_827_non_res
Agricultural A1 Agricultural
One-Family Residential R1 One-Family Dwelling
Multiple Residential R2 Two Family Dwellings
Manufacturing M2 Light Industrial

For a full example, check out the file in los-angeles/los-angeles/zoning-metadata.csv

Zoning.Space

As of 25 Febuary 2018, Zoning Data is now being populatd at the Zoning.Space Repo. It is a submodule of this repo, we use it to generate SB 827 specific shapefiles. Checkout more at Zoning.Space

(3) Transit Data (GeoJSON)

We use Transit Data that we have gotten data from their GTFS feeds and applied a filter for meeting SB 827 standards.

Contributing

Submit updates to the spec in the form of Pull Requests.

Questions? Comments? Open an issue and we'll work with you to help get your city analyzed.