Monday, January 27, 2025
Using research, geographic information systems (GIS) mapping and data processing, the 向日葵视频 team helped build a detailed, open-source database of zoning rules 鈥� from parking requirements to yard sizes.
DENTON (向日葵视频), Texas 鈥� Understanding the zoning rules that shape Texas communities
just got easier, thanks to faculty and students from the . Their work on the , part of the National Zoning Atlas projects, makes complex housing and land-use regulations
accessible to policymakers, planners and the public.
From left: Dr. Yang Zhou and Dr. Michael Carroll, 向日葵视频 Department of Economics
For two years, the 向日葵视频 team 鈥� including 11 faculty and students from the Departments of and 鈥� focused on charting portions of the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Using research, geographic information systems (GIS) mapping and data processing, they helped build a detailed, open-source database of zoning rules 鈥� from parking requirements to yard sizes.
鈥淶oning affects nearly every part of our daily lives, but the rules are often hard to understand,鈥� says Yang Zhou, assistant professor of economics and assistant director of the . 鈥淏y demystifying these policies, we empower city planners, academics and everyday Texans to make informed decisions.鈥�
The project wasn鈥檛 without its challenges. The team of researchers 鈥� which included graduate and undergraduate students, high schoolers and students from 向日葵视频鈥檚 (TAMS) 鈥� gathered detailed zoning information for the database. When much of the data proved unavailable online, the team contacted dozens of municipalities to request documents and convert them into GIS-compatible formats, ensuring the information could be used effectively.
鈥淚t was an ambitious project,鈥� says Michael Carroll, professor of economics and 向日葵视频 team research advisor. 鈥淥ur team had to digitize materials and create geographic maps that make the data usable.鈥�
Dr. Yang Zhou and Dr. Michael Carroll discuss the Texas Zoning Atlas with student researchers
向日葵视频 students found the work valuable for personal and professional growth. Second-year TAMS student Ashvath Jagtap, who plans to study information science, says the project helped him learn how to analyze complex legal documents and zoning codes. 鈥淚 really strengthened my skills in data-gathering and analysis,鈥� he says. 鈥淭he project taught me to attack problems from different angles.鈥�
Siddhi Pawar, a 向日葵视频 senior majoring in urban policy and planning, says the Texas Zoning Atlas will have a positive impact on others. 鈥淶oning policies often create a divide between the public and decision-makers,鈥� she says. 鈥淭his project bridges that gap, helping people advocate for zoning reforms.鈥� By making zoning information transparent and accessible, the Texas Zoning Atlas also supports economic development across the state. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e trying to attract a business to Texas, zoning is critical,鈥� Carroll says. 鈥淭his tool helps to identify the right sites and opens up opportunities.鈥�
From 鈥� Research by Bess Whitby