Creating multiple non-overlapping buffers

[GeoQuest4567]

Dear Community,

I am trying to use the Multiple Ring Buffer tool to create a set of non-overlapping buffers (e.g., 100 m, 200 m, 300 m, 400 m) around 50 polygons, which are different sites. I am running into a few challenges:

1. The non-overlapping option of the dissolve parameters creates multipart buffers, whereas I need them to be singleparts (i.e., each buffer around each site should be a separate polygon). Trying the multipart to singlepart tool does not work because some of these buffers overlap, as some sites are somewhat close to one another.
2. Whereas the overlapping option of the dissolve parameter returns the attributes of the original polygons (around which buffers are formed), the non-overlapping option does not return the attributes of the original polygon.

 To sum up, I am trying to generate a series of non-overlapping buffers (rings) around multiple sites. Then, I need to know which buffer is associated with each site, so I would ideally have an attribute in the buffer shapefile that corresponds to the site id.

I would be grateful for any suggestions on how to achieve this!

[AlfredBaldenweck]

Well, I repeated the experiment and here's what I got:

I ran it twice: once on a point in NAD 1983 (GCS, WKID: 4269), and once on NAD 1983 UTM Zone 13N (PCS, WKID: 26913)

Steps:

1. Set map to the spatial reference
2. Create point feature class in matching spatial reference
3. Create point feature
4. Calculate its XY in the same spatial reference
5. Use multiple ring buffer tool on point, once using planar and once using geodesic
6. Calculate the centroid of each buffer
7. Compare buffer centroids to point.

Here's what I found:

• NAD 1983 (Geographic)
  • Calculating the centroid for the geodesic and planar buffers yielded the exact same results.
  • That said, they were not the original point
  • 
• NAD 1983 UTM Zone 13N (Projected)
  • The centroids of the planar buffers matched the original point exactly.
    • Well, except for it rounded the X.
  • The centroids of the geodesic buffers varied from each other and from the original point.
    • Interestingly enough, they spread out on the X axis this time
    • 

[DavidPike]

how I understand it is that the the Geodesic buffer in NAD1983 Geographic is not a regular annulus or circle.  The circle or annulus will be like a squash ball squished against the poles.  This greater area of the buffer above the buffer origin point (for Northern Hemisphere) then forces the Centroid up to account for the changed centre-of-mass.  This will increase non linearly as you increase the buffer distance.    
I'd use a big (1000km) geodesic buffer and then visualise it in the same geographic projection.  I think when you see that it would make sense what's occurring.

For the UTMZ13 coordinate system I may be wrong in this one as this topic is admittedly very confusing - but it seems to me that it's showing the distance distortion away from the central meridian of the transverse mercator projection (105 West?).   I would then say your buffer point is West of -105 degrees, and if you recreated the example with a point East of -105 degrees you would see the centroid shift in the opposite direction.