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Mapping open building permits in a Boston neighborhood
By adamg on Wed, 12/28/2016 - 11:46am
A few days ago on the Keep Roslindale Quirky Facebook group, somebody asked about finding a building permit for a particular address in the neighborhood. Somebody else told her she could find it on a database off the ISD page on the city Web site. Sure, if you're familiar with how the city database interface works, which most people aren't. But using that interface, I created a map of open building permits in Roslindale (well, ones for projects worth more than $1,500).
Possibly useful? Something worth doing for other Boston neighborhoods?
Neighborhoods:
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Comments
Linky issue?
When I gently tap a blue dot on the map, a helpful box opens with a link for more info....however the link to the project detail does not seem to work. My issue or your issue?
It's a portal issue
But when you click on a dot, look at the box under the map, it'll change to the info for the dot. But, yes, annoying.
Affirmed useful
Adam, my internet saviour, how do I export a batch of permits or whatever i want to export, into a nice printable pdf that doesnt involve having to re-work the export into something simple thats readable by a silly person.
I use this database like thrice a week and I know how to find what I need, but sometimes I dont have the time to explain to silly ppl.
More useful
would be a map where you could see all the construction going on without building permits.
Yes, much work going on/has
Yes, much work going on/has gone on w/o apparent permits.
neighborhoods
so how do you get it to pull just Roslindale streets? If I look up, say, Chestnut St, it shows Chestnut Hill Ave (in Brighton), Chestnut St in Charlestown, and Chestnut St on Beacon Hill. I really wish there was a way to narrow down by neighborhood using the city portal.
Great map, maybe
Aside from construction without permits (I know of one, and the "stop work" order on the door verifies the attempt to add a floor without permits) there has to be missing data. I drove by a site on Augustus Ave tray where 2 houses are being built from scratch, doors from Councillor Wu, but they weren't on the map. I'm sure a neighbor would have noticed the houses going up and would have asked about the permits.
The Map
The map doesn't seem to be totally complete. There are two spots on Roslindale Avenue that have permits on the door, but don't seem to be showing up here. One being the two family just near the intersection of Walworth and Roslindale Avenue.