The Online Guide to lowa Zoning project is a comprehensive, interactive mapping effort that will display housing-related zoning regulations by district for 327 lowa cities. The project will collect and analyze data on several socioeconomic factors influencing housing in these cities. Our website developers will then use the data to build the Online Guide to lowa Zoning map, providing comprehensive insight into the factors affecting the production and preservation of housing across lowa.
Between now and October 31, 2025, zoning texts and maps from 327 lowa cities will be collected to create a searchable, web-based map of zoning districts and their regulations. Additionally, data on employment, commuting, population change, home prices, housing stock characteristics, and various other factors will be compiled to understand the influence of zoning and socioeconomic factors on lowa's housing supply. All materials will be accessible to the public through the Online Guide to lowa Zoning website.
For a comparable project, visit the New Hampshire Zoning Atlas.
The project team recognizes that each community is unique. Housing development, availability, and affordability are driven by many factors, including zoning regulations, employment, income, commuting patterns, interest rates, and the characteristics of the existing housing stock among many others. The Iowa Zoning Guide initiative is policy-neutral, meaning it is being undertaken without any preconceived “best solutions” for addressing the challenges to providing safe, affordable housing. Through detailed data collection and analysis the team aims to support Iowa’s communities in making informed decisions that foster sustainable development and meet the evolving needs of their residents.
Is your city among the 327 included in the lowa Zoning Guide project? Find out here.
In the coming weeks, the project team will reach out to lowa's councils of governments and local officials from the 327 communities to explain the project in more detail and begin the data collection process.
The ISU webinar hosted on Friday, June 7, 12:00-12:45 to explain more about the project, and to let planners, zoning administrators, and GIS Directors and Coordinators know how they can contribute to the project can be viewed using below button
The lowa Zoning Guide initiative is powered by a multidisciplinary team from lowa State University, featuring experts in GIS, urban planning, data science, and economics experts. The initiative is part of the Data Science for the Public Good Young Scholars program and is funded by the lowa Finance Authority.
Gary Taylor
Professor of Community and Regional Planning
gtaylor@iastate.edu
Jay Maxwell
DSPG Team Lead and Data Analyst
jaym@iastate.edu