Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

Kurt J. Wheeler • Physical/Environmental Geographer

A.A.S. - University of Wisconsin-Rock County

B.S. - University of Wisconsin -Whitewater

•GIS ManagerRock County Planning, Economic and Community

Development Agency.

Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

0 to 120 with

GIS

Presentation Agenda

• History

• Building Blocks

• Current Situation

• Struggles

• Future Goals

Purpose:

•To Share Information on Lessons Learned.

•Relate to Common Situations, Challenges and Solutions.

Rock County GIS

History

Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

• GIS History at Rock County Planning

– GIS Started in 1992-93– Hand Cartography Prior (30 Years)– Great Hardcopy Maps and Info!– As of 2000, Basic GIS Data.– Differing Projections/Varied Quality

Rock County GIS

Building

Blocks

Welcome Aboard Here’s Your OfficeJuly 2000

Questions

• What’s Genamap?

• Where’s the Inventory?

• Where’s the Metadata?

• Where’s the ESRI?

Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

Before Effective Management of Any Resource Can Begin, An Inventory of That

Resources Must Occur.

First things FirstJuly 2000

The Basics

• What Do We Have?

• Where Did it Come From?

• How is it Used?

• Do We Need to Keep It?

First things FirstJuly 2000

Data Needs a Home

• Dedicated Server

• Windows Environment

• Create an Organizational File Structure– Data and Departmental Users– Responsibilities

Training and Practice

• LICGF Training• One on One with Colleagues• ESRI

– User Support– Mike Schlect– EWUG User Group

• State Of Wisconsin (SCO, OLIS, LTSB)• WLIA

Critical Help

• Land Records Program – Land Records Committee (Funding/Support)– Hardware/Software/Training/Time

• Phil Blazkowski, Director of Planning & Dev.– Vision/Tools/Support

• Key County Board Members and Administration– Interest, Savvy, and Support of Technology

Rock County GIS

Current

Current Rock County GIS

Current Departmental GIS Users• Planning• Real Property• Land Conservation• Health• 911• Surveyor

Current Rock County GIS

Recent Events and GIS

• World Trade Center 9-11 - World Trade Center #7

• DC/Virginia Sniper Attacks - Geographic Profiling

• Space Shuttle Columbia - Debris Field GPS/Buffer

• Iraq War – GPS, Satellites, and Computers

• SARS Outbreak- # Cases and Locations

Current Rock County GIS

– Use, Demand, and Savvy Increasing Constantly• ( Supervisors, Administration, Public)

– User Base Consistently Growing• (DA, Sheriff, 911, E-Management, Public Works, Treasurer,

etc.)

– Data Acquisition and Management = Key Jobs

Data – Orthophotography/Aerial Photography– Topography– Planimetric Data – Thematic Data (Physical/Environmental, Political,

Demographical).– Cadastral– Oracle Attribute DB– GPS– Field Survey/Research

Current Rock County GIS

Parcels

Addresses

Soils

Wetlands

Hydrology

Roads

Floodplains

Rail

School Districts

Census Data

Parks Inventory/Site Plans

Bridges/Shortspans/Culverts

Dot Height Benchmarks

Emergency Sirens

Dams

Watersheds

Public/Private Wells

Economic Development Sites

Current Rock County GIS

Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

• Planning GIS Applications

– Thematic Mapping– Environmental Analysis– Political Mapping/Analysis– Economic Development– Emergency Management

GIS Applications in Rock County Planning

• Floodplain Analysis

– Cadastral Information– Orthophotography– Digitized FEMA Floodplain Maps– Fast and Accurate –vs-Antiquated– Re-Delineation Project (FEMA/WDNR)

GIS Applications in Rock County Planning

• Land Divisions/Management– Environmental Analysis

• Soils/Construction– ESOSA

– Slopes

– Liquidity

• Hydrology– Drainage

– Retention

– Everybody is Downstream from Somebody

• Infrastructure– Roads, Rail, etc.

GIS Applications in Rock County Planning

Key GIS Project Accomplishments

• Environmentally Significant OS Areas

• Natural Areas Study 2001

• Land Use Inventory 2000

• Re-Apportionment 2000

• POROS Plan 2003

Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

Past and Current Struggles

• User Training/Skill Levels• Hardware/Software/IT• Metadata• Data Pricing• Data Organization (User Appreciation)• Keeping up with Technology

Rock County GIS

Future

Rock County GIS

Future Goals

• Web Presence (ArcIMS)– Increase Service and Information to Users– Online not “In Line”

• Migration to Geodatabases/SDE• Orthophoto/Topo Updates• Hydrology Update• Metadata (Processing)

Rock County GIS

Future Departmental GIS Users• Public Works• Parks• Sheriff’s Dept.• DA• County Clerk• County Treasurer

Rock County GIS

Future Struggles

• Manpower• Funding• Departmental Management (champions)• Departmental Communication (system)• Data Organization/Metadata Integrity

Rock County GIS

Why?

Rock County GIS

GIS Benefits• Save Time/Improve Efficiency

• Improve Communication/Collaboration• Reduce Costs

• Improve Data Accuracy and Management

Rock County GIS

Key Jobs• Deliver Information That Will Help People

Make Better Decisions.

• To Aid in Our Citizen’s Understanding of a Increasingly Complex World.

• Work Smarter, Conserve Resources, and Save Money.

Rock County Planning, Economic, and Community Development Agency

Thank You!

Questions Anyone?