Look before you build : geologic studies for safer land development in the San Francisco Bay Area / by Martha Blair Tyler.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-53).

When geologic disasters occur, the resulting devastation is not distributed uniformly across the landscape; certain locations suffer more than others due to their susceptibility to geologic hazards. Communities in the San Francisco Bay Area have had to address issues of suitable land use and structure design because of the ever-present threats posed by earthquakes, landslides, and subsidence. This circular was developed to assist local officials in making better land-use decisions by informing them of the geologic conditions of proposed development sites and what those conditions mean for future safety. It provides information on hazards geology in general, the necessity of geologic studies, the use of geologic information in project review, and sources of additional information. It also includes five case studies in which geologic information was used in project review