Using Google Maps As An Advocacy Tool

A community activist tracked the location of teardowns in her suburban neighborhood, bringing attention to the problem and eventually leading to a change in zoning to help prevent further demolitions.

1 minute read

October 5, 2006, 6:00 AM PDT

By maryereynolds

"On Liz George's virtual tour of Montclair, she pauses at a flower-lined path on Grove Street that leads to the sheltering porch of the storied Marlboro Inn. With a click of the mouse, the inn is replaced by 10 luxury homes, a development known as Christopher Court -- or 'Crisco,' as she calls it." George's teardown map has an impact on public policy. A developer bought a blue-shuttered Colonial-style house for $870,000 last fall and demolished it this summer with plans to build six town homes. "The action led town officials to rezone about 200 lots -- including this property -- from a designation that allows up to eight units on a single lot to a designation that allows only two."

FULL STORY: A Townâ€™s Architectural Shift, Chronicled Online

Sunday, October 1, 2006 in The New York Times

Architecture Housing Urban Development New Jersey

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