The #1 search on this site is for GIS Data. I finally had the time to put together a list of LA County’s data download sites:
LA County has a number of GIS Data locations where you can look through the County’s GIS Data, download shapefiles and various other GIS formats. Some of the data is free, some of it cannot be shared because it is licensed, but it is important for us to at a minimum develop and share the full scope of the County’s GIS Data.
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LA County Data Portal The LA County GIS Data Portal is a rapidly growing resources where you can download shapefiles and get information about the County’s data holdings.Click here to open |
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Assessor The Assessor sells its parcel data at low cost. You will need both the Parcel Base Map and the Formatted Data
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 DPW Spatial Library |
Public WorksThe Department of Public Works’ Spatial Information Library has a number of free data layers as well.Click here to open |
Is there a layer or combination of a layer to use to determine built and built areas in county? I used zoning where open space, cemeteries, parks where unbuilt .. wondering if there is a different method using a layer we have posted here online? Thanks!!!
Hi Warren,
On the GIS Data Portal, you can look for the countywide zoning layer: http://egis3.lacounty.gov/dataportal/2012/04/10/countywide-zoning/ which is probably the best one. With the attached land use classifications you should be able to get what you are looking for.
If you have access to the parcel database ($329) – you can look for a UseCode value that ends in “V” – which shows the property is vacant. Or if it has no address you may be able to assume the same thing (but be careful of government owned properties).
thanks for these
I’m glad you find them useful.
Thanks for these and thanks for this great site. I was wondering who produces the LA County street network, and if that is available to the public–i.e. me.
Hi David,
The LA County street network is current licensed from Rand McNally (Thomas Brothers). The County has been keeping the data up to date independently for the past 8 years, so the file we have is extremely accurate, but we are unable to share it. We are currently starting a major initiative to upgrade the open source TIGER release to match the data quality of our licensed file so that we can share it.
question for you. If the County makes that data available for free, would you be willing to use it under a GPL license (i.e. giving us credit) since it will be an extremely valuable set of data?
It’s an interesting dilemma for me since as a gov’t agency we should make our data available to the public (of course) but we should also work to recover the costs for the taxpayers …
What is your thought (although you might be biased)?
Hi,
Dave you can have the Fire Department street centerline file, we own it. It is not spatially accurate in some places. The address ranges are excellent in our service area and good outside.
Thanks Tim!
If you provide a shapefile and layer file I can add it to the Data Portal so folks can download it directly.