A Field Guide to Land Use Inventory Classifications

This page serves as the springboard for classification guidelines for parcel-based Land Use Inventory work beginning in 2010. The guides that this page links to will serve as living documents that will be continually updated as questions arise regarding pecularities & ambiguities in the classification scheme, and reconciling those classes with the various parcel data sets we are working with.

NOTE: This field guide was developed for the first (2010) parcel-based Inventory, but will be maintained and updated for future Inventory work. For the 2015 and subsequent versions we are allowing for multiple uses and flagging parcels that are on the cusp of being redeveloped. Be sure to visit the Coding Multiple Uses and Transitional/Redevelopment Parcels pages for guidance on these topics.

Residential (1100 series)

Land in predominantly residential use, including surrounding land that is a part of a residential development. This category excludes housing on military bases as well as group quarters housing. Group quarters housing is included within their associated land use as defined below. Examples: military barracks are included as part of the military base which is defined as Governmental Administration and Services; nursing homes are included in Medical and Health Care Facilities; college dormitories would appear in Educational Facilities.

Commercial (1200 series)

Includes all retail activity with the exception of certain mixed Commercial/Residential settings (see 1216 Urban Mix with Residential Component), as well as office buildings, cultural/entertainment facilities not counted as Open Space, and Hotels/Motels.

Institutional (1300 series)

Medical, Education, Government and Religious land uses.

Industrial (1400 series)

Land uses involved in the production, transportation and storage of goods.

Transportation/Communication/Utilities (TCU) (1500 series)

Transportation-related land uses, including air, rail and automotive; as well as utility rights-of way, landfills and wastewater treatment facilities.

Agricultural Land (2000)

Land identified in county parcel data as agricultural, where the parcel is dominated by: row crops, field crops & fallow field farms & pasture, horse, dairy, livestock, and mixed, including dairy and other livestock agricultural processing. Also includes land identified in county parcel data as having a developed land use where, according to corresponding aerial photography, the land is still in agricultural use; in those instances, the land is coded as Agriculture, with the planned land use (Residential, Commercial, Industrial, Other) identified in the PLATTED modifier.

Open Space (3000 series)

Land established for recreational or conservation purposes.

Vacant or Under Construction (4000 series)

Vacant land or land being developed/re-developed.

Water (5000)

Parcel is predominantly water.

Not Classifiable (9999)

Sliver or isolated parcel with no identifiable use.