The Village of Glencoe has an existing Sign Inventory Program that has been completed for the entire Village. The inventory program was completed years ago and to ensure the Village of Glencoe meets new future Federal Sign Regulations the GIS Department has began the process to make the existing inventory usable for staff review.
A major focus of this process was to convert all existing sign related databases into a format that was usable for mapping. Once this process was completed, the GIS Department was able to use our mapping software to create maps of all the signs located within the Village of Glencoe. These maps will be used in the planning phase to determine existing inventory and assist the Village on determining the scope of reviewing the current inventory. Future products will include mapping products in a usable format for Field Crews to conduct field verification processes.
The final goal of the program will help ensure Glencoe is meeting new Federal Sign Regulations and to ensure all existing data is used in the most efficient manner.
The Village of Lincolnshire Streets Department in compliance with new Federal Sign Regulations is to begin the process of inventorying all signs within the village. The process will involve using staff in the field to review and inventory all signs within the corporate limits. To assist the staff, the GIS Department was asked to take an existing sign inventory database and make it available for field crews to view, update, and use. The GIS Department prepared a device which had all the mapping and sign data displayed to assist crews while conducting the inventory process. Most signs will only need to be reviewed and updated, but field crews will have the ability to update, add, remove, and modify any asset while in the field. When the inventory is completed the returned data will be brought back into a Sign Inventory Database which will continue to be used when new signs are added or removed.
The final goal of this program is to ensure the Village of Lincolnshire is meeting all Federal Sign Regulations and all signs have been properly inventoried. The image in this article is an example of the mapping and data available to field crews while conducting field data collection.
The Village of Deerfield Community Development Department has begun a process to accurately survey and review all records related to the Deerfield Cemetery. The process involves obtaining records related to the property, plots, and all other associated information. As part of the process, the Village of Deerfield GIS Department was asked to convert the legal plat of the property and develop a base map of the cemetery. The base map will be used as a foundation to continue the development of placing cemetery records into a real world location.
This program will continue to grow into the future with the final goal of creating an accurate account of all records associated with the cemetery along with the ability of staff to locate the information in mapping environment. The image included in this article is an example of the initial plat conversion based on supplied records.
The Village of Glencoe being a member of the GIS Consortium has a data sharing agreement in place with Cook County Illinois. This agreement allows the Village of Glencoe to receive County Parcel data which includes mapping, parcel information, PIN numbers, County assessor information, and many other very important land based information records.
This month was the scheduled update time for the Village of Glencoe to receive and update its parcel mapping within the GIS system. The GIS Consortium has developed an efficient and detailed updating procedure which was used by the GIS Specialist in Glencoe to complete the parcel update process. The process included all mapping updates, loading of new attribute information, loading in new assessor information from the County, verification of the updated and modified records, and of course final distribution of the updated data throughout the GIS system and corresponding applications.
The final result of the parcel update process ensured that the Village of Glencoe has incorporated the most recent and up to date parcel related information that is supplied by Cook County. Upon completion, the updated data was available to used and consumed by all personal within the Village and within the GIS applications.
The Village of Lincolnshire Public Works Department conducts a Pavement Patch and Repair Program for Village Streets in need of work. The goal of this program is to maintain and repair roads within the Village that have been identified that work needs to be done to improve the quality of the surface.
The GIS Department was approached by the Public Works Department to take an existing database of information and link to the GIS system to help locate and identify the patching locations throughout the Village. The database contained all location information, type of repairs, range of repairs, classification system of the repairs, and other key pieces of information that is needed to conduct this program.
The GIS Department used the provided database and mapped all the Pavement Patching Locations. Using available software and tools, the GIS Department was able to link the database and it’s records and assign a location within the Village. These locations then were turned into mapping points which contained the data from the database.
The end result of this task was the Village was able to take information, map that information, and then visualize the information in a mapping environment. The mapping products then can be used for planning purposes, inventory, and reporting as the Pavement Patch and Repair Program is being conducted.
The Village of Glencoe Public Safety Department records all response events related to Public Safety Dispatch within their Computer Aided Dispatch System. It is important to not only record all events that occur within the Village but to also review and analyze the data for optimum response time performance. One key and very important aspect of analyzing the data involves mapping the data. Mapping is can be used to help visualize and identify trends within the response records.
The Public Safety Department and the Village of Glencoe GIS Department both work together to complete the mapping task based on the collected response records. Key records are categorized, reviewed, and mapped based on recorded incident and response events. The events are broken down further to subcategories which included Code One Responses, all types of reported incidents from the dispatch system, and then a break down for total number of incidents and responses by reporting districts. Once the data has is prepared the mapping is completed using available GIS tools to help automate the process and provided mapping results which then can be used by the Public Safety Department to assist in understanding what is occurring within their dispatch responsibility area.
This image is a small example of the products that are produced when analyzing the Computer Aided Dispatch data.
The Village of Lincolnshire has a rich intranet based mapping application MapOffice™ Advanced for all village users to access while on the network. The application has tools designed to fulfill business processes of the village staff to obtain information on a daily basis. MapOffice™ Advanced has a specific view to show Digital Terrain and Contour Information for viewing elevation data. Some users informed the GIS Department that they would like view just the Contour Information separate from the Terrain View. The goal was to provide village staff with a cleaner version of the Contour Information which could be used when printing Utility Infrastructure Maps. It was decided that a Custom Contour Overlay would be created to fulfill this request.
The GIS Department created and specific data layer that would display the Contour Information and worked with development staff to load this data layer as a Custom Overlay view within the MapOffice™ Application. When the data layer was completed, reviewed, and approved the application was updated to reflect the overlay. The end result gave village staff the ability to display the overlay when needed and print simple Contour and Utility Maps from MapOffice™ Advanced.
The Village of Lincolnshire has been conducting an ongoing process to ensure all overland, open channel, and other features are connected to the storm sewer system. Field crews from the Street’s Department began this process using existing GIS utility atlases to help identify all open channel and overland water flow that connects into the storm sewer system. After completion and some field verifications the data was provided to the GIS Department for updating.
When the updates were completed the GIS Department then began a process of connecting the network together using tools designed to build networks. With the updates completed, the total storm sewer system can now be used to effectively trace from any point within the system and provided a downstream solution. This will enable to staff to identify exactly how storm water runoff enters, travels, and exits the total system.
Future plans for this project include developing basin maps show how systems work to flow the storm sewer water throughout the Village.
The Village of Deerfield Public Works Department met with the GIS Department to discuss a very important phase of utility updating involving field verification. It was decided that a new Field Note Map Book series would be developed based on a custom grid to fit a usable 11 by 17 inch format vs. the customary 17 by 22 inch standard Field Note Map Book Series. It was decided by staff that the larger sized books were tougher to handle while out in field conducting when conducting their business.
The resize of the product required the GIS Department to update some mapping elements based on the scale change. Items included developing a new grid system for pages, dynamic readable labels for pipes and structure information, and other cartographic enhancements designed for overall easier readability in the field.
Once the maps were completed, produced, and delivered the Public Works Staff takes the products into the field and provide markups when needed. They also use this product and standard sized product to provide markups of the utility information on a planned review cycle. These comments along with field comments are then provided to the GIS Department to produce needed updates to the system. The overall process is very important to help catch field changes and institutional knowledge from the Public Works staff to ensure the GIS system is receiving regular and routine utility update information.
The Village of Lincolnshire has been going through a process to ensure all overland, open channel, and other features are connected to the storm sewer system. Field crews from the Street Department began this process using existing GIS utility atlases to help identify all open channel and overland water flow that connects into the storm sewer system. After completion and some field verifications the data was provided to the GIS Department for updating.
When the updates were completed the GIS Department then began a process of connecting the network together using tools designed to build networks. With the updates completed, the total storm sewer system can now be used to effectively trace from any point within the system and provided a downstream solution. This will enable to staff to identify exactly how storm water runoff enters, travels, and exits the total system.
Future plans for this project include developing basin maps show how systems work to flow the storm sewer water throughout the Village.
The Village of Deerfield has began a using an Engineering Firm to survey and smoke test the sewer storm system within the village. This program involves using provided GIS data to be used in the field by the Engineering Firm and village staff to conduct the smoke testing program. Smoke testing involves using special equipment to help find defects and issues within the sewer storm system. As smoke is passes through the system equipment is used to detect any leaks within the system. Defects are then recorded and mapped using GPS technology. The process also included verifying mapping information and GPS was then used to update, add, or remove sewer storm system infrastructure.
Once the field data and smoke testing program was completed the Engineering Firm provided the GIS department with all the field data collected by GPS, photos of defect areas, and locations of all defects within the system. The GIS department was able to use this information to update GIS data and mapping and also map the collected defects. The maps then can be used to find trends within the system as well pin point locations that where found to be defective.
This multi-year program provides information that is crucial to the village to help maintain the sewer storm system. The program also benefits the GIS department with providing accurate data to map and use in updating and maintaining mapping data. Working together and integrating community processes with the GIS department helps achieve the greatest benefit possible while conducting field maintenance programs
The Village of Lincolnshire has completed a process of identifying all storm sewer outfalls that discharge into streams and rivers. This process was completed to help prepare for NPDES requirements and also to determine if all outfalls have been correctly accounted for throughout the village.
Village staff used provided GIS maps showing the existing storm sewer infrastructure and ArcView technology to review the current system. The review process allowed staff to verify the data in the GIS system and report any needed updates. Staff also assigned a unique id system for each outfall to be maintained for reporting purposes.
After the review, the GIS department conducted the data updates and produced a Village-wide Storm Sewer Outfall Map showing the newly developed id system. This map is currently being used to ensure all outfalls are accounted for and for future planning and reporting activities.
This is a basic example how the GIS department and village staff work together to ensure the current data is correct and ensure data within the GIS system is being updated on a regular basis.
Public Safety plays a crucial role in the day to day activities of Village of Lincolnshire. The Village of Lincolnshire Police Department believes that their daily activities help support a safe and vibrant community. A crucial operational aspect of the Police Department is conducted 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year long is Dispatch. The Dispatch Department and the highly trained officers are responsible for receiving and dispatching appropriate resources for all emergency and non emergency activities in the Village. The major focus of their operation is to respond to all calls placed to 911, dispatch resources, and relay information to officers in the field. Mapping is a major factor in this operation from locating the call in dispatch and to reporting location information to the officers in the field. Without highly accurate, detailed, and up to date mapping data would create a major challenge in the emergency response cycle.
The Dispatch Department uses a very advanced Computer Aided Dispatch System or (CAD). This system handles all aspects of emergency dispatch from the initial call to proper resource dispatch. The system also performs very important incident reporting activities which the Police Department uses to review and analyze their activities. The common component in all of these functions is location and mapping.
The Village of Lincolnshire GIS department works both with the Police Department and their CAD vendor to load and update all mapping the data needed to support the system. This includes providing highly accurate mapping data developed by the Village of Lincolnshire to the CAD vendor for loading into their system. The provided mapping data includes extremely accurate street centerline files, address point locations, all district and beat layers, common places layer, and highly detailed aerial imagery. This mapping data is also maintained by the Village of Lincolnshire and is updated by the GIS Department reducing the overall cost of not relying on a third party vendor and lesser quality of data. This also ensures the mapping layers are as current as possible and makes it possible to update and refresh changes when needed with minimal effort.
In summary, every phone call to dispatch uses some form of the provided data to record and assist Dispatch and Officers with the most up to date and current information. The data is also indirectly consumed by the public in large including Village residents because they benefit in a highly efficient and accurate system when consuming E911 services.
Public Safety plays a crucial role in the day to day activities of Village of Glencoe. The Village of Glencoe Public Safety Department believes that their daily activities help support a safe and vibrant community. A crucial operational aspect of the Public Safety Department is conducted 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year long is Dispatch. The Dispatch Department and the highly trained officers are responsible for receiving and dispatching appropriate resources for all emergency and non emergency activities in the Village. The major focus of their operation is to respond to all calls placed to 911, dispatch resources, and relay information to officers in the field. Mapping is a major factor in this operation from locating the call in dispatch and to reporting location information to the officers in the field. Without highly accurate, detailed, and up to date mapping data would create a major challenge in the emergency response cycle.
The Dispatch Department uses a very advanced Computer Aided Dispatch System or (CAD). This system handles all aspects of emergency dispatch from the initial call to proper resource dispatch. The system also performs very important incident reporting activities which the Police Department uses to review and analyze their activities. The common component in all of these functions is location and mapping.
The Village of Glencoe GIS department works both with the Public Safety Department and their CAD vendor to load and update all mapping the data needed to support the system. This includes providing highly accurate mapping data developed by the Village of Glencoe to the CAD vendor for loading into their system. The provided mapping data includes extremely accurate street centerline files, address point locations, all district and beat layers, common places layer, and highly detailed aerial imagery. This mapping data is also maintained by the Village of Glencoe and is updated by the GIS Department reducing the overall cost of not relying on a third party vendor and lesser quality of data. This also ensures the mapping layers are as current as possible and makes it possible to update and refresh changes when needed with minimal effort.
In summary, every phone call to dispatch uses some form of the provided data to record and assist Dispatch and Officers with the most up to date and current information. The data is also indirectly consumed by the public in large including Village residents because they benefit in a highly efficient and accurate system when consuming E911 services.
Public Safety plays a crucial role in the day to day activities of Village of Deerfield. The Village of Deerfield Police Department believes that their daily activities help support a safe and vibrant community. A crucial operational aspect of the Police Department is conducted 24 hours, 7 days a week, all year long is Dispatch. The Dispatch Department and the highly trained officers are responsible for receiving and dispatching appropriate resources for all emergency and non emergency activities in the Village. The major focus of their operation is to respond to all calls placed to 911, dispatch resources, and relay information to officers in the field. Mapping is a major factor in this operation from locating the call in dispatch and to reporting location information to the officers in the field. Without highly accurate, detailed, and up to date mapping data would create a major challenge in the emergency response cycle.
The Dispatch Department uses a very advanced Computer Aided Dispatch System or (CAD). This system handles all aspects of emergency dispatch from the initial call to proper resource dispatch. The system also performs very important incident reporting activities which the Police Department uses to review and analyze their activities. The common component in all of these functions is location and mapping.
The Village of Deerfield GIS department works both with the Police Department and their CAD vendor to load and update all mapping the data needed to support the system. This includes providing highly accurate mapping data developed by the Village of Deerfield to the CAD vendor for loading into their system. The provided mapping data includes extremely accurate street centerline files, address point locations, all district and beat layers, common places layer, and highly detailed aerial imagery. This mapping data is also maintained by the Village of Deerfield and is updated by the GIS Department reducing the overall cost of not relying on a third party vendor and lesser quality of data. This also ensures the mapping layers are as current as possible and makes it possible to update and refresh changes when needed with minimal effort.
In summary, every phone call to dispatch uses some form of the provided data to record and assist Dispatch and Officers with the most up to date and current information. The data is also indirectly consumed by the public in large including Village residents because they benefit in a highly efficient and accurate system when consuming E911 services.
Addresses play an important role in the day to day activities of the Village of Lincolnshire whether it is for water billing information, permits or locating a resident in case of an emergency. In addition, a physical address can serve as a link to answering such questions what school district do I belong to or what zoning district am I in?
In order to create a centralized location for the address information in Lincolnshire, a master address database was created in the Geographic Information System (GIS). This database contains address information from several sources including water billing, community development and the official address map produced by the village. In the database, each address follows the United States Postal standard with a pre direction, address number, street, pre modifier (such as street or avenue) and a post direction.
Every address in the database is represented by a point feature known as an address pin point. This point has specific x and y coordinates that allow it to be placed in a known location on the earth. This point is linked to a table containing information about that particular address including a PIN number, parcel information and assessor information.
The address pin point is typically placed in the center of the corresponding parcel. Using aerial imagery and building information, this point can be placed at the entrance of the main building to better depict the location of the address. Moreover, this address is stored as a primary address pin point. A secondary pin point is established for buildings and parking lots that have the same address as the main building, but are located on another parcel.
Address pin points allow for quick and simple retrieval of data at a particular location. Additional data layers including utilities, subdivisions and library districts can be overlaid onto the address pin point to quickly determine the location of the nearest fire hydrant to a property or the number of homes within a particular library district. This eliminates the need for village staff to check multiple sources for information which essentially can save both time and money.
Since the address pin points are directly tied to a database, any additions or deletions can be quickly made and stored as a saved edit. Addresses can also be labeled and set to a defined scale. Prior to the creation of the database the village had to manually update every address on a paper map annually with any changes to the community boundary, parcels and streets. This took a significant amount of time depending on the amount of changes in a particular year. Also due to the large scale of the map, reading addresses in highly dense areas such as apartment complexes or townhomes proved to be difficult. In GIS, these addresses can be viewed electronically and maps can be created at any scale in order to easily view and locate addresses.
Overall, it is easy to see how the creation of a centralized address database will assist every department throughout the village. For example, the Community Development Department can quickly locate an address and determine which zoning district it is apart of without having to search a zoning map or permits. The Public Works Department will be able to identify and notify all of the residents that will be impacted when a water main break occurs and the Police and Fire Departments will be able to locate and respond to an emergency call at a particular address. All in all it is safe to say that the enhancements a village will receive by having an accurate address database will become known as the GIS programs continues to evolve and relationships with other departments continue to strengthen.
The Geographic Information System (GIS) Department routinely utilizes its valuable resources to analyze the layout of its current utility infrastructures. By using the aerial photography that the village paid for in 2005, the GIS Specialist is able to review utility lines and structures in their current location and compare them to where they are located on the aerial photography. Since the utility infrastructure data was originally created at a time when good aerial photography was hard to come by, many of this data is not one hundred percent accurate.
Although going to the field to identify the locations of utility lines and structures is a good method, the ability to quickly access accurate aerial photography and use it in-house allows for a large percentage of the data to be verified without leaving the desk. This allows the village to save time and money for a good portion of the review process.
It is important to note that using GIS not only can enhance the integrity of the village’s utility data, but it is also key to recognize that having this accurate data allows for trustworthy calculations. For example, when the village conducts a water distribution study, they rely on the most up-to-date data to submit to an outside consultant so they can obtain the most accurate results. Moreover, when the Sewer Department wants to inventory what supplies might be needed for an upcoming project; they can easily look at the current utility infrastructure in GIS to get some ideas. Without an accurate foundation, most analyses cannot provide much value but by using available assets, it is easy to see how GIS can improve the reliability of utility data and make it a more trustworthy resource.
The aerial photography and utility infrastructure review process, in conjunction with the help of GIS technology, helps to answer valuable questions related to the services that the village provides. As times go on, the village continues to successfully update their utility data in order to better understand what they currently own and are in control of, which helps the village to provide a service that on average is not always recognized.
Village employees continually review their current parking layouts within active business districts so they are confident that they are providing their residents with the best services possible. If the village does not provide ample parking within shopping sectors of town, it can easily fall victim to decreasing consumerism and complaints from business employees who need a long-term location to park while they are at work.
The Geographic Information System (GIS) Department of the Village of Glencoe has began to utilize its valuable resources to map out the current parking lot and space layouts in order to create a base for analyzing future parking plans. By using the aerial photography that the village purchased in the past and other resources, the GIS Specialist was able to make out most of the street parking spaces and parking lot layouts. The ability to quickly access accurate aerial photography and use it in-house is allowing for the majority of the parking inventory model to be done without going to the field. From there, all of discernable spaces were then drawn into a geographic database. Once all of the data for the parking model is created, field survey maps will be generated to depict the current parking layout. These maps will be used to identify parking lot, space, and street parking designations. Once completed, this will allow village officials to activity review, plan, and make proposed parking improvements within the village based on highly accurate data. The completed model will also allow staff to review statistical data including total number of permit spaces, handicapped spaces, and other regulated lots and spaces.
GIS will be able to provide new maps that detailed the alternate parking layout proposals. These proposals can be used by the village to make decisions demonstrating how GIS can be utilized within local government. The ultimate goal of this program is to use GIS technology to help answer valuable questions related to the services that the village provides for its residents and visitors.
The Village of Lincolnshire like many municipalities relies on zoning ordinances to help shape and control the growth of the Village. Along with zoning requirements, the Village also regulates development of residential zones by deploying setback regulations. These regulations help control the size and placement of structures on the lot to ensure adequate spacing within structures within each district or block. This ensures that any given subdivision, street, or block is appealing and avoids any possible situation of residential structures being built too large for the lot it is on.
The Community Development Department approached the GIS Department to determine the feasibility of visually displaying and mapping the setback regulations throughout the village. It was determined that the data provided gave the required information to place the regulations into a GIS layer viewable in map or GIS applications. The GIS Department began to organize and develop a draft map that displayed each setback regulation, along with the property on each block that established the setback, and labels that displayed the extents of the setbacks. The data was designed to display colored lines with labeled values for each setback and highlighted the property that established the Setback. The goal of this map was to vividly show the setbacks so they can be observed on a wall-mounted map in the Community Development Department. During the review process, the map took on a few different forms and finally it was decided to break the village into quadrants to achieve a better visible scale. A snapshot of the map is displayed to the right.
The outcome of this map is still under development, but the value of the map will be realized when completed and the village staff will be able to see all setbacks in visual form for the entire village and compare how areas are being developed. The map will also serve as a historical and archiving tool storing this information in visual form outside the normal text environment. Without GIS, this task would be a challenge to complete.
The Village of Glencoe wanted to link their hydrant database to hydrant locations in their GIS to create a series of hydrant maps. The Geographic Information System (GIS) Department along with the Glencoe Department of Public Safety coordinated a project plan to synchronize highly critical hydrant operational data from a database to the hydrant features within the GIS. The Public Safety Department is using a ProHydrant Program to systematically test all hydrants throughout the village. It was determined the data collected in the field could be used more efficiently if it was transferred to the GIS. A primary goal was creating a product to facilitate analysis, mapping, and other functions.
The project involved three parties, including the Public Safety Department, ProHydrant software vendor, and the GIS Department. Communication occurred mostly between the Public Safety Department and the vendor. The only item requested from the GIS Department was to add the FeatureID to the database. This a unique identifier field used in the GIS system to track hydrant features. With this unique id, the GIS system is able to associate data from the vendor database back into the GIS system.
This vendor field information is extremely useful because it enhances the GIS database by making it a more informative product. Some examples of hydrant data collected in the field included addresses, hydrant flow rates, hydrant type and model, color, condition status, and other important information collected while the vendor conducted field-testing.
The collected field data was provided to the GIS Department and then the data was linked into the system using the FeatureID field. This was completed quickly and a related table of field information was linked to the hydrant feature in the GIS system. This is important because it allowed for the mapping and display all the collected field information. In addition, we transferred all the hydrant flow data collected in the field into the GIS database. This is important because it allowed the GIS system to display the water flow rates of hydrants on a map giving the Public Safety Department the ability to spatially and visually inspect the data throughout the Village. In addition, the data now had the ability to be incorporated into other GIS products including the GIS Consortium MapOffice™ Advance, the GIS Consortium Mobile Data View, ESRI ArcReader, and ESRI ArcView.
In conclusion, GIS was a powerful tool that provided a common platform for data reporting and visualization of geographical information. The project showcased in this article is a prime example of how data from outside sources can be shared and used more efficiently through GIS.
The Village of Deerfield relies on accurate utility information to assist the community staff with their daily activities just like any other local government does. The Village of Deerfield Public Works Engineering Department is working with the RJN Group to conduct a Sanitary Sewer Smoke Testing program throughout the village. This program is being used it to help identify and maintain the condition of the sanitary sewers within the village. The idea of taking this data and integrating it with the GIS utility databases was an easy decision for the village since it would improve data efficiency and allow for better accuracy.
This project involved three parties including the Engineering Department, GIS Department, and RJN Group. The scope of the project included providing RJN with GIS data so that their staff could use for creating field data reports and track the program. The data was also used to provide base information that can be reviewed and updated when field reports are returned back into the office. Another important aspect of this project was reviewing and updating a legacy Community ID system used for Sanitary Manholes within the village. These numbers are used by village staff and are included on all reports. It was important to make sure the GIS data included these numbers and was able to be updated when needed.
Once all the parties had the required data, the Sanitary Sewer Smoke Testing Program continued, and field reports were collected and prepared by RJN Field Crews. These reports would then be sent to the GIS Department for updating. Once all reports for the week were in place, the GIS Department then updated any necessary items within the system and uploaded updated back to RJN for immediate use. This process worked well, as the flow of data and updates went smoothly.
In conclusion, the above is a brief example how multiple departments worked together to communicate beneficial information to all parties involved. GIS was able to provide data for RJN Field Crews to assist in their field operations, and at the same time RJN while conducting the Smoke Testing Program was able to provide field updates back to the GIS office for updating the data. This program is currently ongoing and is proving to be a valuable solution for helping to maintain and update this important GIS utility database.
The Village of Deerfield relies on accurate utility information in order to assist the community staff with their daily activities. For example, the Engineering Department utilizes storm sewer information to assess and resolve drainage issues as well as general pipe replacement. The Public Works Department needs accurate utility information to identify water main size, type and location to respond to water main breaks. This information has been stored in multiple locations including engineering plans, record drawings, as-built drawings, departmental files, and in the minds of seasoned staff members. The ultimate goal is to organize all this information in one centralized location that can be easily accessed by village staff for aiding in their daily workflows.
Using a Geographic Information System (GIS) is most certainly one of the better options on the market today for achieving this goal. Storing utility information from resources like as-built drawings, hand drawn maps and other sources can easily be filed into three specific databases based on whether it is a storm, sanitary, or water utility system. These individual databases contain information on the type, size and location of features including some basics as pipes and manholes for the sewer system as well as hydrants and valves for the water system. Also, over time the databases can evolve to not only store accurate asset location information but also very important engineering information including rims and inverts of various structures. Furthermore, these databases are excellent information storing devices that have the ability to link to external databases as long as a proper structure identification system is maintained.
In order to easily maintain the utility databases, field note map books are created. A field note map book is usually an atlas of pages sized as 17 x 22 inches, where the full community is broken down into multiple pages by a grid in order to present the map at a 1’=100’ scale. By using a grid based on the Professional Land Survey township system, the community can be subdivided into equalized quarter-sections (northeast, southwest). Once the community is properly split up into quarter-sections the grid number is placed on its respective field note map book page.
Using the 1’ = 100’ scale, structures such as manholes and valves can be easily distinguished and field crews can easily markup the pages for edits that need to be made to the utility system by the GIS Department. The notes section on the right of the field note map book page provide an area where field crews and engineering staff can provide comments on discrepancies between what is in the GIS and what is said to be true in the field. Utility lines and structures are labeled with their location as well as the length and other asset information. Also included on each page is a site map of the village. This allows field crews and engineering staff to quickly determine their location relative to the village.
Field note map books allow the village to collect field updates and update the utility data within the GIS system. Once changes are received, the data is input into the GIS system and new field note map book pages are created. By using field note map books, community staff can quickly see their updates added to the GIS and gain trust in the utility data they are using.
The Village of Lincolnshire relies on accurate utility information in order to assist the community staff with their daily activities. For example, the Engineering Department utilizes storm sewer information to assess and resolve drainage issues as well as general pipe replacement. The Public Works Department needs accurate utility information to identify water main size, type and location to respond to water main breaks. This information has been stored in multiple locations including engineering plans, record drawings, as-built drawings, departmental files, and in the minds of seasoned staff members. The ultimate goal is to organize all this information in one centralized location that can be easily accessed by village staff for aiding in their daily workflows.
Using a Geographic Information System (GIS) is most certainly one of the better options on the market today for achieving this goal. Storing utility information from resources like as-built drawings, hand drawn maps and other sources can easily be filed into three specific databases based on whether it is a storm, sanitary, or water utility system. These individual databases contain information on the type, size and location of features including some basics as pipes and manholes for the sewer system as well as hydrants and valves for the water system. Also, over time the databases can evolve to not only store accurate asset location information but also very important engineering information including rims and inverts of various structures. Furthermore, these databases are excellent information storing devices that have the ability to link to external databases as long as a proper structure identification system is maintained.
In order to easily maintain the utility databases, field note map books are created. A field note map book is usually an atlas of pages sized as 17 x 22 inches, where the full community is broken down into multiple pages by a grid in order to present the map at a 1’=100’ scale. By using a grid based on the Professional Land Survey township system, the community can be subdivided into equalized quarter-sections (northeast, southwest). Once the community is properly split up into quarter-sections the grid number is placed on its respective field note map book page.
Using the 1’ = 100’ scale, structures such as manholes and valves can be easily distinguished and field crews can easily markup the pages for edits that need to be made to the utility system by the GIS Department. The notes section on the right of the field note map book page provide an area where field crews and engineering staff can provide comments on discrepancies between what is in the GIS and what is said to be true in the field. Utility lines and structures are labeled with their location as well as the length and other asset information. Also included on each page is a site map of the village. This allows field crews and engineering staff to quickly determine their location relative to the village.
Field note map books allow the village to collect field updates and update the utility data within the GIS system. Once changes are received, the data is input into the GIS system and new field note map book pages are created. By using field note map books, community staff can quickly see their updates added to the GIS and gain trust in the utility data they are using.
The Village of Glencoe Public Works Department came to the GIS Department requesting an alternative method to viewing utility data in the field compared to the current method of viewing data in an atlas often called Field Note Map Books. Although this product has performed well over the years the village has had a continuing interest for implementing new methodology. After completing a needs assessment conducted by the GIS Department it was decided that the best approach was to move forward with an application called ArcReader. Moreover, ArcReader application was at no additional cost to the village and customized projects could easily be installed on Public Works Laptops with minimal effort from the GIS Department.
The following report briefly outlines the scope of the project from start to finish and can be broken down into four phases which include:
Phase 1: Project Identification and Planning
Phase Phase 2: Project Development Phase
Phase 3: Project Installation and Testing Phase
Phase 4: User Training and Briefing
Phase 1: The first phase of the project was for the GIS Department to determine the best approach to meet the request of the Public Works staff. An internal review of available hardware and software was completed and the following key requirements were labeled as issues that needed to be addressed in the new application:
- Ability to clearly see and identify utility information in the field
- Ability to display all necessary background mapping information while in the field
- Ability to turn aerial imagery on and off
- Ability to use GIS tools while in the field including distance measuring
- Ability to update data efficiently and reduce the reproduction time and cost associated with printing utility atlases
The GIS Department concluded that ArcReader was the best software solution to achieve these goals. This decision was based on a following factors:
- ArcReader is free, available and ready to install
- ArcReader satisfied all of the requirements listed above
- ArcReader satisfied the requirements of hardware specifications
- ArcReader mirrored the look and feel of ArcView currently being used in the office by Public Works staff
Phase 2: The GIS Department began developing the ArcReader project file based off of existing data layers and utility projects in-use with ArcView platforms. Once all the data was loaded into the project time was spent updating the aesthetics of the map product as well as the creation of custom labels for the ids of all utility devices. This addition was important because village staff had historically used these ids for tracking purposes but now with the ArcReader project it would be easier than with products are currently being used. After the project was completed, the GIS staff created the output file which packaged all the project and data into one product making it ready for installation on the computers of Public Works staff members.
Phase 3: As soon as the project was ready the GIS Department conducted a brief test that included the installation of the initial software as well as the uploading of the ArcReader project onto a single Laptop computer. The installation process was overseen with the help of the Village IT Department and it was concluded that after the first successful results were reported installation was approved for the remaining Laptop computers within the Public Works Department. After the installations on all laptops were performed successfully it was declared that the computers were ready for distribution and use.
Phase 4: The distribution phase included the GIS Department, the IT Department and the Public Works Department. During this final phase a meeting was scheduled in order to demonstrate the new ArcReader application and distribute the laptops to the Public Works staff members. In addition, an interactive group discussion took place I regards to how often data would be updated as well as what methods would be used for updating of these ArcReader projects on all computers. The Village of Glencoe Public Works Department decided that the update cycle would three times a year based on the average rate of data change over a one year cycle.
In conclusion, after multiple meetings and careful planning between the GIS Department and the Public Works staff a new technology was introduced that allowed data stored in the GIS to become usable data in the field ultimately helping to assist the Public Works Department with their daily operations.
The Village of Lincolnshire and the Geographic Information System (GIS) Department have been continuously looking for new ways to incorporate GIS into historical projects that help maintain important data. An opportunity arose when village personal came to the GIS Department with a request to update and replace a legacy wall mounted map showing all village annexations.
The existing map contained all annexation information including ordinance numbers, dates, number of acres, and extents. The data was further broken down by decade and displayed on the map accordingly. The map itself was produced years earlier using Computer-aided Design (CAD) technology which was no longer available for community use. The challenge of this project was to get all the information contained on the map into GIS so we can update and maintain this information going forward. The process identified involved converting the map into the GIS environment over a period of time and when complete, all the important information will be available for mapping, analysis, and updating.
The conversion of the map was a basic operation, in a sense, which involved removing the existing wall mounted map and then for GIS technicians to convert the content from the paper world into the digital world. Attention was focused on making sure all relevant data was transferred over and the end product would meet all current future needs including: data updating and map reproduction. Once the conversion process was completed a complete review and update cycle were performed followed by the official replacement of the existing product with the updated GIS produced product.
In conclusion, it is easy to see how the functionality of GIS within the community can be beneficial for all parties. It is very important for both the GIS department and other village departments to continue to seek out opportunities where they can share important information. GIS is uniquely positioned to help provide a common platform for data collection, maintenance, and visualization of geographical information and this project is a prime example of how existing data from multiple departments can be shared and used more efficiently.
The Village of Glencoe and the Geographic Information System (GIS) department have been continuously looking for new ways to incorporate GIS into projects that assist staff in their daily workflows and business processes. An opportunity occurred when the Public Works department called on the GIS department with a request to update and replace older Snow Sidewalk Removal Maps that are used by staff during snow removal operations. These maps were to supplement the existing programs in place which included a comprehensive Snow Removal Route database along with Salting Routes and associated Trucks.
The public works department provided the GIS department with existing examples and requested that these books be recreated using GIS so we can produce a product that can be efficiently maintained, updated, and distributed. The maps were designed to fit into existing booklets that included multiple 8 ½” by 11” sheets broken down by 3 main Snow Sidewalk Removal routes. Each sheet also contained very important information used by staff including: Work Area Statistics, Mileage, Start and Finish Times, Unit Numbers, Hour and Time Tracking Statistics, and Date. Each map sheet was designed to show the portions of the Route and Areas within that Route. The maps also displayed very important information including locations and extents of priority sidewalks, normal sidewalks, and locations of where the actual sidewalk ends.
The conversion of the map was a basic operation, in a sense, which involved recreating the existing products after the Routes were developed in the GIS database. Special attention was needed to match these products as close as possible to avoid conflicts. During this process a few cartographic tricks were used to carry out the full effect of the maps. Once a few review cycles were completed the product was completed and sent to production.
In conclusion, it is easy to see how the functionality of GIS within the community can be beneficial for all parties. It is very important for both the GIS department and other village departments to continue to seek out opportunities where they can share important information. GIS is uniquely positioned to help provide a common platform for data collection, maintenance and visualization of geographical information and the above project showcase is a prime example of how existing data from multiple departments can be shared and used more efficiently.
The Village of Deerfield is currently in the process of planning for the redevelopment of the northwest quadrant of the Central Business District, commonly known as the “Village Green Redevelopment Project.” This project currently involves multiple village departments and is the planning phase. During this planning phase the GIS Department was requested to run a pilot test program using existing resources create a 3-D representation of the redevelopment area. Until recently this task would have required a significant amount of work to complete usually requiring outside vendors whose fees would only increase the overall budget on the project. However, with the advancement of technology and the available tools within GIS it was easy to use existing geographic information in order to keep this request in-house and save the village some money.
By using the data that the city collects annually the GIS Department was able to create a 3-D model that included buildings, driveways, sidewalks, roads and parks for the “Village Green Redevelopment” area. The creation of this model used GIS tools to extrude each feature listed above to its true elevation height above ground level. The model is then adjusted to show these features in a 3D-world where it can then can be used and consumed for planning purposes including map visualization, panning and rotating in a 3D view as well zooming in and out to better understand the data being represented. At the same time, other GIS tools allow a user to record these movements and replay them as an animation file thus making this method very affective for community staff presentations and public meetings.
In conclusion, it is easy to visualize how the functionality of GIS along with other applications can allow the village to use existing data in a way that was not easily attainable in the past. Furthermore, representing a portion of the real world in a 3-D environment allows village staff to conceptualize what impacts might occur during the redeveloping of a specific area. This brief showcase illustrates how communication and data flow between village departments can be used to produce these types of products and further benefit both the village and public during an important redevelopment project.
The Village of Lincolnshire and the Geographic Information System Department have been continuously looking for new ways to incorporate GIS into the daily business processes and work flows conducted by their departments. The village’s Public Works Department had previously installed a “Sanitary Sewer Televising” Program and for many years since its inception has used it to help identify and maintain the condition of the sewers within the village. The idea of taking this data and integrating it with the GIS utility databases was an easy decision for the village since it would improve data efficiency and allow for better accuracy.
Once the idea of integration was decided upon the GIS Department and the village’s Public Works Department began to outline a plan for proper methods of data capture in order to better understand the sanitary sewer system and what might be needed for this process to work. The ultimate goal was to use highly accurate base data collected by an external consultant and update this information on the existing sanitary sewer system database within the GIS Department. Features that were identified included residential and commercial service connection locations, pipe size verification, pipe material identification, pipe and asset condition and the positional accuracy of sewer mains and structures.
With all goals outlined in the project’s plan the next phase looked into the process of how to incorporate the data from the external consultant into the GIS database. Since many functions of GIS data creation involve manual work it was determined that best approach was to use televising reports and cross check these reports the GIS system. During this process, GIS technicians would review data provided and update the system while conducting normal data maintenance procedures. This method enabled crucial data updates and information to be added into the system as part of a normal work flow. Although the updates would not occur overnight they would however be integrated into the GIS database progressively with an eventual output to the end users.
In conclusion, it is easy to see how the functionality of GIS along with other business processes within the community can be beneficial for all parties. It is very important for both the GIS Department and other village departments to continue to seek out opportunities where they can share important information. GIS is uniquely positioned to help provide a common platform for data collection, maintenance and visualization of geographical information and the above project showcase is a prime example of how existing data from multiple departments can be shared and used more efficiently.
Each year the Village of Glencoe creates an official Street Guide of the village. This product is developed and consumed by both village staff and the general pubic. Each year the GIS Department and other village departments go through review and update cycle of this product. During the 2009 review and update cycle it was determined that the village would move this historically black and white product into a color format.
This annual project cycle can be broken down in four phases which include:
Phase 1: Review Phase
Phase 2: Pre-Final Review Phase
Phase 3: Final Review
Phase 4: Map production and reproduction
Phase 1: The review phase starts with the updating the previous years map with all known changes collected throughout the year. Secondly, a memorandum can be delivered via e-mail or manually to all of proper village recipients along a map for review purposes and checklist as what to look for when conducting the review process. Community staff members that are typically involved with the map update process include department heads or managers, GIS Coordinators and GIS Consortium board members. During this phase the village staff will review and provide comments to the GIS office by a date that is outlined in the title of the memorandum.
Phase 2: Pre-Final review phase begins after the GIS Department makes the appropriate changes to the street guide map from the initial review process and then redistributes new packets with an updated memorandum. These packets are then sent out a second time to the same village recipients with comments form previous responses. This is done so that all village staff employees are able to confirm the changes that were updated in the initial review. Any additional comments are again provided to the GIS office by a date that was included in the second delivered memorandum.
Phase 3: The final review phase is completed when all updates have been completed and all comments from the village staff have been addressed. The GIS Department then reviews the map product one final time for overall map layout clarity and data content accuracy. At this time, a PDF versions or printed maps are provided to the selected village staff employees for one final review and authorization. If there are no further comments at that time the map product becomes official and moves into the final phase of production.
Phase 4: The map production and reproduction phase begins immediately after approval is received in Phase 3. The maps are printed in-house using the village plotter and distributed to the village’s staff. Also at this time the Map Product Drawer will be updated by removing any remaining maps from the previous year and replacing with the new product. The Map Product Drawer is restocked throughout the year based on public demand of the product.
Overall the annual review process ensures the street guide product is reviewed and updated to reflect the community at the time of publication. The product can involve multiple village departments and staff members to ensure the end result meets the needs of those who will eventually be using it. Moreover, community collaboration between the village employees and the GIS Department help to make a successful end product good for internal use as well as public distribution.
Each year the Village of Deerfield creates an official Street Guide of the village. This product is developed and consumed by both village staff and the general pubic. Each year the GIS Department and other village departments go through a two month review and update cycle of this product. During the 2009 review and update cycle it was determined that the village would move this historically black and white product into a color format. In addition to the color format it was also decided that a black and white version of the map would still be maintained for map reproduction using outside sources.
This annual project cycle can be broken down in four phases which include: Phase 1: Review Phase Phase 2: Pre-Final Review Phase Phase 3: Final Review Phase 4: Map production and reproduction
Phase 1: The review phase starts with the updating the previous years map with all known changes collected throughout the year. Secondly, a memorandum is delivered via e-mail or manually to all of proper village recipients along a map for review purposes and checklist as what to look for when conducting the review process. Community staff members that are typically involved with the map update process include department heads or managers, GIS Coordinators and GIS Consortium board members. During this phase the village staff will review and provide comments to the GIS office by a date that is outlined in the title of the memorandum.
Phase 2: Pre-Final review phase begins after the GIS Department makes the appropriate changes to the street guide map from the initial review process and then redistributes new packets with an updated memorandum. These packets are then sent out a second time to the same village recipients with comments form previous responses. This is done so that all village staff employees are able to confirm the changes that were updated in the initial review. Any additional comments are again provided to the GIS office by a date that was included in the second delivered memorandum.
Phase 3: The final review phase is completed when all updates have been completed and all comments from the village staff have been addressed. The GIS Department then reviews the map product one final time for overall map layout clarity and data content accuracy. At this time, a PDF versions or printed maps are provided to the selected village staff employees for one final review and authorization. If there are no further comments at that time the map product becomes official and moves into the final phase of production.
Phase 4: The map production and reproduction phase begins immediately after approval is received in Phase 3. The first sets of maps are printed in-house using the village plotter and distributed to the village’s staff. After initial distribution, additional maps are printed and delivered to the Community Development Department and Village Hall staff for distribution to the public. The final distribution cycle is then delivered to an outside vendor for product reproduction and map folding. These maps are then made available to the public through multiple outlets.
Overall the annual review process ensures the street guide product is reviewed and updated to reflect the community at the time of publication. The product involves multiple village departments and staff members to ensure the end result meets the needs of those who will eventually be using it. Moreover, community collaboration between the village employees and the GIS Department help to make a successful end product good for internal use as well as public distribution.
The Village of Glencoe relies on accurate utility information in order to assist the community staff with their daily activities. For example, the Engineering Department utilizes storm sewer information to assess and resolve drainage issues as well as general pipe replacement. The Public Works Department needs accurate utility information to identify water main size, type and location to respond to water main breaks. This information has been stored in multiple locations including engineering plans, record drawings, as-built drawings, departmental files, and in the minds of seasoned staff members. The ultimate goal is to organize all this information in one centralized location that can be easily accessed by village staff for aiding in their daily workflows.
Using a Geographic Information System (GIS) is most certainly one of the better options on the market today for achieving this goal. Storing utility information from resources like as-built drawings, hand drawn maps and other sources can easily be filed into three specific databases based on whether it is a storm, sanitary, or water utility system. These individual databases contain information on the type, size and location of features including some basics as pipes and manholes for the sewer system as well as hydrants and valves for the water system. Also, over time the databases can evolve to not only store accurate asset location information but also very important engineering information including rims and inverts of various structures. Furthermore, these databases are excellent information storing devices that have the ability to link to external databases as long as a proper structure identification system is maintained.
In order to easily maintain the utility databases, field note map books are created. A field note map book is usually an atlas of pages sized as 17 x 22 inches, where the full community is broken down into multiple pages by a grid in order to present the map at a 1’=100’ scale. By using a grid based on the Professional Land Survey township system, the community can be subdivided into equalized quarter-sections (northeast, southwest). Once the community is properly split up into quarter-sections the grid number is placed on its respective field note map book page.
Using the 1’ = 100’ scale, structures such as manholes and valves can be easily distinguished and field crews can easily markup the pages for edits that need to be made to the utility system by the GIS Department. The notes section on the right of the field note map book page provide an area where field crews and engineering staff can provide comments on discrepancies between what is in the GIS and what is said to be true in the field. Utility lines and structures are labeled with their location as well as the length and other asset information. Also included on each page is a site map of the village. This allows field crews and engineering staff to quickly determine their location relative to the village.
Field note map books allow the village to collect field updates and update the utility data within the GIS system. Once changes are received, the data is input into the GIS system and new field note map book pages are created. By using field note map books, community staff can quickly see their updates added to the GIS and gain trust in the utility data they are using.
In 2007 the Village of Lincolnshire celebrated their 50th Anniversary. To mark this occasion the Village planned multiple events to occur around the 4th of the July holiday. As part of the planning phase the Village requested the Geographic Information System (GIS) Department to review the possibility of creating a custom banner to celebrate this occasion. The requirements of the banner were two fold, one, to show and illustrate important village information and two, be large enough to promote public interaction. The project included the interaction of multiple village departments contributing valuable input including content, history and statistical data. The total project can be broken down into three simple project phases which are listed below:
Phase 1: Planning Phase
Phase 2: Banner Research and Banner Content Development Phase
Phase 3: Banner production and delivery Phase
Phase 1: The Planning Phase lasted one month and was completed four months prior to the planned 4th of July and 50th Anniversary celebrations. Based on the information provided to the GIS Department organization and outlines of the banner’s template began to take shape. After multiple reviews and adjustments the banner template the overall concept was completed. The final banner layout was set to be eight-one inches wide by thirty-six inches tall in order to meet requirements of the village’s color plotter and the content was to set to include six separate categories.
Phase 2: The banner research and banner content development phase finalized the following six categories formulated around a graphic timeline. The categories included:
- Graphic maps depicting annexation and corporate limits by decade as the village grew over time
- Chart timeline showing all past and current village board members and mayors
- Population growth and statistical timeline
- Unique village milestones and their respective dates shown along a timeline
- General village statistics
- Aerial imagery overviews provided by outside sources for 1939, 1974, and 2006
This phase included multiple reviews, research and update cycles based on valuable village staff feedback. This phase also included researching outside sources to finalize banner content.
Phase 3: The third and final phase of this project was production. From here, the GIS Departments took on the responsibility to take all the information provided, finalize the banner and use available resources plot and mount the banner. The banner was completed using ArcView and exported to PDF format for reproduction. The banner was then printed in-house using the village’s plotter saving reproduction costs. The banner was reviewed one final time and then printed on high quality heavy gloss paper, sprayed with a fixer to avoid any smearing and mounted on multiple backboards
The final project outcome was well received by both village staff and the general public. By deploying the proper planning methods and conducting multiple review cycles all parties involved in the project were able to provide and take ownership on the overall banner product. The final banner was completed and proudly displayed at the village’s 50th Anniversary Celebration, a great example of how the village staff and the GIS Department could work together to accomplish an important and specific task.