Welcome to the GitHub repository for the Open Space Preservation GIS tool, hosted by the University of Virginia.

The resources provided in this repository are intended for planners interested in mapping Open Space Preservation (OSP) opportunities in their community. OSP is a creditable Activity in FEMA's Community Rating System (CRS), which is also very promising in terms of flood risk reduction. OSP credits are obtained by protecting open spaces in the floodplain from development. This is typically done via land-use regulations, but agreements with property owners may be acceptable.

A GIS tool was developed in ArcGIS Pro, which automatically maps currently eligble OSP areas and estimates the number of CRS credits they could provide. In addition, the tool identifies open spaces in the floodplain that are not currenty eligble for credit, but COULD BE if protected fom development. Various future crediting scenarios are calculated.

Repository Overview: This repository consists of two Branches and a Data Release. The first Branch, 'GIS_Tool' contains the GIS tool in a ZIP file. The second Branch, 'Supporting-Documents' contains an Instructions Document, an Output Guide, and a Supplemental Resources Document. The Data Release contains input data for the Commonwealth of Virginia in a ZIPPED GEODATABASE file.

Getting Started: The best place to start is the Instructions Document, located in the 'Supporting-Documents' Branch of this repository. This document provides a step-by-step guide for using the GIS tool, including links to supporting resources.

If at any point you are experiencing difficulty, or have questions about the project, please contact the developers.

Enjoy