The online tool can help city and state officials understand where zoning codes need reform and how they compare to other localities.

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.”
FULL STORY: See how your state uses zoning codes to control land use

Manufactured Crisis: Losing the Nation’s Largest Source of Unsubsidized Affordable Housing
Manufactured housing communities have long been an affordable housing option for millions of people living in the U.S., but that affordability is disappearing rapidly. How did we get here?

Americans May Be Stuck — But Why?
Americans are moving a lot less than they once did, and that is a problem. While Yoni Applebaum, in his highly-publicized article Stuck, gets the reasons badly wrong, it's still important to ask: why are we moving so much less than before?

Using Old Oil and Gas Wells for Green Energy Storage
Penn State researchers have found that repurposing abandoned oil and gas wells for geothermal-assisted compressed-air energy storage can boost efficiency, reduce environmental risks, and support clean energy and job transitions.

Updating LA’s Tree Rules Could Bring More Shade to Underserved Neighborhoods
A new USC study finds that relaxing Los Angeles’ outdated tree planting guidelines could significantly expand urban tree canopy and reduce shade disparities in lower-income neighborhoods, though infrastructure investments are also needed.

California's Canal Solar Projects Aim to Conserve Resources and Expand Clean Energy
California’s Project Nexus has begun generating electricity from solar panels installed over irrigation canals, with researchers and state agencies exploring statewide expansion to conserve water and boost clean energy production.

HHS Staff Cuts Gut Energy Assistance Program
The full staff of a federal program that distributes heating and cooling assistance for low-income families was laid off, jeopardizing the program’s operations.
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