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Search Boston’s Zoning Code to your heart’s content

Jun 25, 2015

Last October, the BRA’s Geographic Information Services (GIS) department rolled out the Zoning Viewer, a web application that provides assessing and zoning information for parcels throughout the City of Boston.
Well, for all the zoning nerds who have been waiting with bated breath for the next innovation, you’re in luck!
This week the BRA debuted the Municode platform, a new web application that allows users to search through Boston’s voluminous zoning code with nothing more than a few keyboard clicks. Municode provides BRA staff and the general public increased functionality and ease of use when navigating the zoning code. Some key features include:
  • Keyword search across the entire code rather than the "guess and download" method that often made searches difficult.
  • The ability to share sections of the code via email or social media. This will be especially useful for BRA staff working with constituents. Instead of referring someone to an entire article of the code, users can now send just the relevant section that a person is interested in.
  • The capability to identify and show changes that have been made to the zoning code.
  • Interactive tables and maps, which users can scroll through just like they would in Excel.
The BRA’s tech staff is now working to integrate the Municode and Zoning Viewer tools to allow for seamless access to map-based zoning information. Eventually users of the Zoning Viewer will be able to input an address and easily determine the allowed uses for a given piece of property. This integration will alleviate the current need to toggle between the two web applications when trying to find information.

Let the zoning queries begin. Happy searching.

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