One of the most advanced things UrbanForm does

Is give you the MaxBuild for any site.

This is NOT just the base zone FAR multiplied by the lot area.

This is because we've found that the base zone FAR (floor-area-ratio) is rarely a true measure of how much you're allowed to build.

To be precise:

• In Portland, in 188,041 of 196,898 (95.5%) of the lots, your MaxBuild is actually governed by an FAR adjustment, the height limit, bonus FAR, or bonus height limit.

• In Seattle, it's 81,869 of 178,897 (45.8%).

• In San Diego, it's 45,380 of 272,409 (16.7%).

Portland: where the base zone FAR is not going to be the true MaxBuild, highlighted in cyan color

To put it another way, if you're using the base zone FAR to understand how much you can build on a site, you're probably wrong.

Seattle: where the base zone FAR is not going to be the true MaxBuild, highlighted in cyan color

To get the MaxBuild, UrbanForm first generates the MaxFootprint by calculating the lot coverage, then comparing that against the area within the setbacks.

That's right; we've applied the setbacks for you. You can see them in the map--they're the dashed lines inside of the property lines.

Then UrbanForm takes the MaxFootprint and calculates a build area by assuming a typical floor-to-floor height under the height limit.

UrbanForm takes into consideration whether or not there are adjustments to the FAR or height limit based on overlays or other location-based restrictions.

UrbanForm also knows whether or not bonuses to the FAR or height limit are available.

It's been our perspective from the beginning that these bonuses and incentives are often the margins that make or break a project. And it's not enough to take someone's word for it; you need to verify the source.

That's why we make sure every single piece of zoning information we give you is backed up with documentation and a clickable link to send you straight to the source text.

San Diego: where the base zone FAR is not going to be the true MaxBuild, highlighted in cyan color

UrbanForm compares all of these things in order to arrive at two MaxBuild numbers--what you're allowed to build as-of-right (AOR), or with all bonuses taken (ABT).

UrbanForm has these MaxBuild numbers for every single property in the city.

And we show you exactly how we calculate these numbers, and if any bonuses were assumed, and if so, exactly which section of the code you can refer to in order to verify or study further.

Let us know if we can help you better assess site feasibility, faster.