Digital Dynamics: You can do THAT with GIS?
When you ask your fellow county officials if their counties use geographic information systems (GIS) you will most likely hear a resounding "yes we are." This affirmation is usually followed by comments like, "We map all of our property tax assessment information" or "Our planners provide us with zoning maps."
While traditional applications of GIS technology such as these have been in practice in county government for nearly two decades, today, the power of spatial information (data tied to location) is pushing beyond its original uses, providing a valuable tool to numerous governmental functions.
From economic development to public safety and all issues in-between, GIS is proving its worth.
Below are several examples of GIS technology in action in ways that aren’t commonly known.
Community and Economic Development
Counties across the country are dealing with economic development challenges brought on by a shift in the viability of the core businesses and industries that have been the cornerstone of their communities. Community and economic development leaders are tapping into GIS to help them attract developers that will provide new employment opportunities and services for their citizens.
Without ever leaving their office chairs, potential developers can access a database of available properties, view key information about those properties (transportation accessibility, utility infrastructure, demographic composition) and determine whether the property meets their needs.
Solano County, Calif. uses Internet GIS tools to showcase available properties and summary information, such as aerial photographs of the area, housing data for the area around the property and even broker information to make the selection process as convenient as possible for potential developers.
"The GIS-based Web tool gives us the opportunity to highlight the amenities that Solano County has to offer on a 24 by seven basis," said Mike Ammann, president of the Solano Economic Development Corporation.
Housing
County governments have a responsibility to assure decent housing for all segments of the population. To make this a reality, counties often develop an inventory of substandard housing conditions that exist in the community so assistance activities can be carried out.
Alachua County, Fla. needed an accurate inventory of its substandard housing conditions, but was concerned that the traditional field survey method of collecting the information was too time-consuming and costly. Instead, the county employed a GIS-based model to automatically identify and inventory substandard residences based on property assessment information. "This model provides us with data that is invaluable to our efforts to locate and maintain safe, affordable housing," said Gail Monahan, executive director of the Alachua County Housing Authority.
The model classified the intensity of deterioration and also gave officials insight into the annual changes and trends in substandard housing that help them more effectively target Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program initiatives aimed at rehabilitating severely distressed homes.
Public Safety
The methamphetamine crisis that is sweeping all areas of the country is leaving behind a trail of social service issues and environmental concerns. County law enforcement officials are on the front lines in the battle to stop the production and sale of the drug before it has deeper impacts within their communities.
The Riverside County, Calif. Sheriff’s Office is using GIS tools to assist them in identifying the producers of methamphetamine. By tracking the reported locations of illegal dumping sites for the chemicals associated with the production of meth, crime analysts are able to overlay data on the residences of convicted drug felons within a given distance from the dump site and perform a simple query to assist officers in identifying suspects requiring surveillance.
In one case, these activities yielded an arrest that included the seizure of 200 pounds of meth. "With GIS, we are able to tie together different pieces of the puzzle and begin to look at how we can best allocate our resources," said Brian Grey, crime analysis unit supervisor.
Human Services
To help citizens achieve self-sufficiency, county officials administer support services and programs geared toward providing welfare families with the resources required to become independent. Montgomery County, Md. Health and Human Services officials created a GIS-based "Job Access" tool to assist welfare recipients in the county. The Job Access tool supplies information on useful commuting routes, locations of licensed child care providers (including group daycare and family home daycare), and bus schedules complete with fare costs.
Similarly, Contra Costa County, Calif. has engaged in a series of studies using GIS technology as part of a "Welfare to Work" program in coordination with the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORK) short term relief program. "GIS is of great help to us as we seek to learn more about the CalWORK clients in the community. We are able to examine the relationship between client location and key employment components, such access to employment centers and transportation networks," said John Cunningham, Community Development Department.
Have examples of your own?
If your county is using GIS in a non-traditional manner, please contact Kevin Neimond at 202/942-4247 or kneimond@naco.org to share your story.
(NACo’s partnership with the Institute for the Application of Geospatial Technology enables the association to provide counties with information, training and assistance on the use of geographic information systems (GIS) and other geospatial technologies. The goal of the partnership, first established in 2003, is to promote the effective use if GIS and other cutting-edge geospatial technologies by county governments to enhance the quality of life and the delivery of services to communities.)
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