4 ms·

But how much of this is our own fault through zoning? Look at this: http://maps.dcoz.dc.gov/zr16/#l=12&x=-8575451.094054567&y=4706150.466548093&mms=18!26!21!24

But how much of this is our own fault through zoning? Look at this: http://maps.dcoz.dc.gov/zr16/#l=12&x=-8575451.094054567&y=4706150.466548093&mms=18!26!21!24!22!4!8!1!2!23&dcb=0 http://maps.dcoz.dc.gov/zr16/#l=12&x=-8575451.094054567&y=47... All the yellows and browns are residential zoned. And almost no mixed-use zoning. This makes your experience sound as if by design, not as nature would do it. Well, looks like that regulation isn't great for stores. Here's the exceptions to residential units in the residential apartment zones: https://dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/RuleList.aspx?DownloadFile=901F565F-0000-C6CC-AA0D-67C08A7D17CA https://dcregs.dc.gov/Common/DCMR/RuleList.aspx?DownloadFile... Huh. 420.1.c explicitly bans corner stores. 420.1.g kind of looks like you can do a store under the apartment at least. This zoning map really doesn't look friendly to foot traffic. My experience was as the OP, grocery stores I haven't even bothered to try yet within a 10 minute walk. This is the zoning map of Somerville. http://3pb8cv933tuz26rfz3u13x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2018/09/ProposedZoningAtlas_20180926.pdf http://3pb8cv933tuz26rfz3u13x17-wpengine.netdna-ssl.com/wp-c... It looks totally different, granted the scale is much different.

rayiner 7y ago
A lot of it is the fault of zoning. But that’s the reality in many US cities, even dense ones.
graeme 7y ago
Wow, great map. Know of any for other american cities? Would be interested to see nyc, especially if it had grandfathering layered in.
- neltnerb 7y ago
  Pretty much everyone publishes them online, everyone needs them when they do construction projects. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/zoning/zoning-maps.page https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/zoning/zoning-maps.page They appear to have each section of the map available as a PDF. I guess everyone just does it a little different. I'd expect NYC to be closer to Boston though since they're from the same era and both have limited area to spread and have a lot of grandfathered in buildings. I'm a bit surprised DC is so segmented by land use, though I suppose it's a more recent city it's not as if 200 years is chump change. It seems like the zones are created and existing stuff gets exceptions carved out, and if they get torn down then they lose those exceptions and become the default type. So if buildings get destroyed quickly or if there's a lot of space for new construction I'd expect more simple separations between land use types.

rayiner 7y ago

A lot of it is the fault of zoning. But that’s the reality in many US cities, even dense ones.

graeme 7y ago

Wow, great map. Know of any for other american cities? Would be interested to see nyc, especially if it had grandfathering layered in.

neltnerb 7y ago
Pretty much everyone publishes them online, everyone needs them when they do construction projects. https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/zoning/zoning-maps.page https://www1.nyc.gov/site/planning/zoning/zoning-maps.page They appear to have each section of the map available as a PDF. I guess everyone just does it a little different. I'd expect NYC to be closer to Boston though since they're from the same era and both have limited area to spread and have a lot of grandfathered in buildings. I'm a bit surprised DC is so segmented by land use, though I suppose it's a more recent city it's not as if 200 years is chump change. It seems like the zones are created and existing stuff gets exceptions carved out, and if they get torn down then they lose those exceptions and become the default type. So if buildings get destroyed quickly or if there's a lot of space for new construction I'd expect more simple separations between land use types.