With a GIS program, local governments are able to save time and money by managing their data centrally and then exporting it for use in other in-house database applications. From Public Works to Public Safety, nearly every department in the Village of Glenview has a program that is efficiently maintained using the master address and base map data stored in GIS. Some updates are simple. For example, the Public Works department uses a program called TreeKeeper to manage their tree inventory data. On an annual basis, GIS is tasked with updating both the address database and the base map in this program so that the arborists have correct reference data when making updates. The process takes a matter of minutes, but the benefits last throughout the year.
Another example of GIS data being repurposed is in a program called New World Systems, which provides mapping and record-keeping functionality for Fire, Police, and Dispatch. Any time an address is added, changed, or deleted from the master GIS database, it is quickly and efficiently loaded into the New World system for everyone to use. Emergency responders get the information they need when they need it, which could make the difference between life and death. In addition to efficient data maintenance, in-house GIS data replaces the need to purchase pre-formatted datasets for each program. Outside vendors charge thousands of dollars to collect and share this information, and would have to be repurchased on a regular schedule or manually updated in each system. Thanks to the versatility of GIS data, the Village of Glenview is able to avoid this added expense and hassle.
Crime is an issue that no community takes lightly, and the reduction and prevention of crime is something that all Police and Public Safety Departments strive to achieve. An important aspect of this is the understanding of crime occurrence from a visual perspective. In doing so, Police and Public Safety Departments can attempt to identify crime patterns throughout their community. The Village of Glenview Police Department works with the GIS Department to create a monthly crime incident map for various types of crime throughout the Village, including burglary, criminal damage, and theft. A monthly report of police call activity is generated, which includes both the type and location of each call. The GIS Department then maps out each call on the report by incident type. In displaying each incident visually, GIS can help the Police Department identify any patterns that may exist.
The monthly crime incident maps are also posted on the Village website for the public to view. This keeps residents informed and helps them to understand where crime is taking place in their community.
Without the help of GIS, it would be more difficult to visualize the location of each crime incident and, in turn, any potential spatial trends occurring throughout the community.
In 2010, the Village of Glenview started subscribing to a foreclosure data-delivery service from Sullivan’s Law Directory. This information is loaded into a GIS database, which is then used to generate reports and reference maps. Village officials have used these weekly reports to dispel myths about the community’s rate of foreclosures, monitor properties proactively for code violations, and keep an eye out for any patterns in criminal mischief.
Recently, GIS mapped this data in new ways to get different perspectives on the impact of foreclosure rates. One project came from Economic Development, which requested a map that symbolized foreclosures according their primary usage. This map gave the Village planners a snapshot of how foreclosures have impacted the local business community. The map also provided a breakdown of percentages in each category, showing that the proportional impact was low.
Another recent project was a spatial analysis of foreclosures for the entire three-year period. By using an advanced tool called “kernel density analysis,” GIS was able to simplify a large amount of information by darkly shading areas where foreclosure rates have been the highest. This analysis helped to pinpoint specific multi-unit residences that have been particularly hard hit since 2010. These ongoing projects highlight the power of tracking information with GIS. Within minutes, the same information was analyzed from different perspectives according to the end user’s needs.
Spatial patterns that are not apparent in a text list become obvious when displayed on a map. While everyone hopes to see foreclosure rates drop significantly in the near future, it’s great to know that the Village has a versatile tool for proactively managing the ongoing impact.
In 2011, Infrastructure Management Services (IMS) collected a community-wide inventory of the Village of Glenview’s road signs. As a result, Public Works now has an inventory of just over 9,000 signs mounted on 5,500 posts throughout the Village. Yet this is only the first step in the process. Public Works is now responsible for maintaining this database so that it continues to be an accurate, reliable source of information. Plus, they want to be able to share this information with other staff members quickly and easily. Since the inventory is in a format easily consumed by GIS software, the logical first step was to load it into MapOffice™ Advanced.
In this easy-to-use web-based program, the sign inventory is available to all Glenview staff by turning on a custom overlay. Sign locations are represented on the map by a point, which is symbolized according to the sign’s function (regulatory, warning, guide, or other). To get details on an individual sign, the user clicks on the point to pull up an information box. For locations with multiple signs on the same post, the user simply clicks a link in the information box to toggle through all of the options.
While a final decision on how to maintain the sign inventory has not been made yet, one option for Public Works is to use the “Request an update” tool in MapOffice™ Advanced. This tool allows the user to send updates directly to the GIS staff, along with a map and any markups that the requestor draws in. With its easy-to-use interface, MapOffice™ Advanced allows people of any technical skill level to help maintain a complex inventory with ease.
During the past year, Glenview’s GIS program has been working closely with Capital Projects staff to develop a comprehensive inventory of its roads. In the past, GIS has assisted by weighing a range of criteria that influence the priorities for annual resurfacing and reconstruction projects. This annual project created opportunities for a careful review, reorganization, and expansion of the existing GIS data. In turn, Glenview reached a point this summer where it was able to easily share the inventory with the rest of the Village staff.
In August, GIS released a new custom overlay for MapOffice™ Advanced called “Road Inventory.” When staff members turn on this layer, they get a quick view of the relative age of every road in the Village. Warm colors (reds and oranges) represent older roads in the Village, while cool colors (yellows and greens) depict roads that were constructed or reconstructed more recently. If users want more information, they can click on a specific road segment to pull up its surface and overall ratings (as assessed in 2011by Infrastructure Management Services) as well as a known history of work completed.
The next step for Glenview is to integrate data on its Minor Area Resurfacing Strategy (MARS), pavement patching, and crack sealing projects. The staff also plans to make this data available to the public via MapOffice™ to increase transparency in how the Village manages its more than 167 miles of roadway.
The Village of Glenview approached GIS to collect the locations of outfalls throughout the Village for the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit program. NPDES controls water pollution by regulating sources that discharge pollutants.
The Village decided to use a new method of collection, called Open Data Kit (ODK), using cellular phones. ODK allows the use of GPS on cellular phones along with the creation of forms to collect attribute data. Collected during the process were the GPS locations, photos of each outfall, and a unique ID of each. This data was then transferred off the phone to a staging location on the internet that allows exporting of the data to be used in GIS. GIS then used this data to create a series of maps to show the locations of the outfalls.
The Village found this process to be very cost effective while maintaining the accuracy that they were seeking.
The Village of Glenview annually plants new parkway trees. With upwards of 300 trees planted each year there was no easy way to find the best route to take. Therefore, Public Works approached GIS to see if there was a more efficient way to plant these trees across the Village.
GIS used a feature in ArcGIS that allows a route to be set up using many stops you would like to make. This route is then created by using a road network and a set traveling speed. Returned are a direction list and the route that should be taken. This has allowed Public Works to lower their cost and time to plant these trees annually.
The Village of Glenview is responsible for the maintenance of nearly 167 miles of roadways within its municipal limits. Each year, Capital Improvements reviews its inventory to determine which streets are in the greatest need of repair. This is a challenging task because it’s rarely as simple as picking the roads with the most visible damage. The road’s overall age, surface and sub-surface condition, and proximity to aging utility infrastructure all play a role in determining the best use of limited funding.
GIS provides the ideal platform for this project because it allows the user to compare this disparate data quickly and accurately. Further, it allows the user to play around with different criteria to see what results come from different cutoff values. By using GIS, Glenview was able to weigh in many more factors, and in turn make better fiscal decisions based on this empirical data. In the coming years, GIS will incorporate even more variables into this process. Data such as locations of repetitive watermain breaks and storm water flooding will be added in so that road repairs done in one year are not torn up the next year to deal with below-ground issues. In the future, GIS will also be used to provide the public with an explanation of how specific roads were selected for resurfacing in a given year. This increased transparency will help residents understand why roads that appear to be in terrible shape seem be ignored.
Every year, the Village of Glenview holds their Fourth of July Celebration, called the Glenview Independence Day Celebration Twilight Show, at the Glenview Park Golf Course. The police and fire departments always are looking for the best ways to spread their resources at events like these. The map shows key locations throughout the event grounds where police or fire could focus on. Firework fallout data was also included to show where to not allow people to be during the firework show. Each police officer carried a laminated copy of this map with them so they could respond to any emergencies quicker by knowing exactly where to go.
Retention Ponds are basins that catch runoff from higher elevations. These ponds have water in them year round and are often located near development areas. Public works tracks these ponds along with the restrictors and outfalls contained in them.
The Village of Glenview’s Public Works currently only had the location of these retention ponds on As-Builts. GIS was able to assist in the project to show the locations of these retention ponds on one map. This allows for an easier and faster way to find the retention ponds. Public Works will also be utilizing these locations on a series of map books to be used in the field.
In partnership with the Glenview Park District, the Village of Glenview is hosting two public events on the impact of the Emerald Ash Borer beetle. By offering these workshops, the Village hopes to help its residents learn more about how their local government is responding to this pest and what residents can do to help. These types of meetings encourage transparency in government operations and also foster a team-based approach to a problem that affects everyone.
GIS was able to assist in this project by mapping out the locations of trees infested with Emerald Ash Borer within the Village limits. Workshop attendees will see how the problem has progressed in Glenview over a short period of time. The maps provide a striking illustration of the statistics, which increased from 22 cases in 2009 to the 120 already documented in 2011. By using GIS, these educational aids were created in very quickly and at little cost to the Village. Public Works staff hopes to make further use of these maps to spatially analyze where the beetle is and how quickly it is spreading.
Land annexed into the Village of Glenview has been on display in the Village’s Development department for some time. This information and map serves as a reference for staff when receiving questions about unincorporated and\or incorporated properties. Staff realized that the information and map was out date and that GIS (Geographic Information System) could provide an opportunity to keep the information current and more up to date.
The new process is that the existing annexation information provided by the Village’s record management software is given to the GIS staff for updating the current map. When completed a new updated hard copy is provided to the Development department for display and a PDF is created for distrabution to the staff and public.
The National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) Community Rating System (CRS) is a voluntary incentive that recognizes and encourages community floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. As a result, flood insurance premium rates are discounted to reflect the reduced flood risk resulting from the community actions meeting the three goals of the CRS; reduce flood losses, facilitate accurate insurance rating, and promote the awareness of flood insurance.
The Village of Glenview is currently in the process of providing FEMA with the proper material and information that they will need in order to be awarded part of the Community Rating System incentives. They are using GIS to provide them with certain information requested by FEMA and this information is, a list of all publicly-owned, open, dedicated properties in the SFHA (Special Flood Hazard Area), provide calculations of the total acreage of SFHA and acreage of open space within the SFHA (subtract out all impervious surface), and provide a map clearly identifying all open space properties verifying they are in the SFHA. If it were not for GIS then this information would have probably been obtained through a consultant and cost the Village more time and money then necessarily needed.
Just like the rest of United States, the Village of Glenview is seeing and feeling the effects of the economic recession in all sectors of business, consumption, and employment. As a result from this, Glenview looks for various ways to save and increase revenue and one of those ways is, tracking foreclosures. Early this year Glenview purchased an annual subscription for $600 from the Law Bulletin for weekly data on foreclosures in the community and its service area. This information instantly saves the staff time by combining all information that would otherwise be very time consuming to locate.
With assistance from GIS, Glenview has been able to map and perform analysis to help with tracking potential revenue impact(s) in the TIF district, vacant properties, check compliance with ordinances, stop theft and destruction, and to see if squatters could possibly be using water. As an outcome from this, GIS has saved the Village countless hours on researching foreclosure information and those potential adverse affects that come from properties being foreclosed.
The Village of Glenview currently has an ordinance that states the max allowable impervious coverage for each lot in the Village, which is based off a lot(s) square footage. For example, lots that are less than 10,000 sq. ft. are allowed 4,500 sq. ft. or .40 of impervious coverage and the larger the lot, the smaller the percentage of impervious surface(s.) Recently, the Village’s Development Department was tasked with determining what percentage of lots fell outside of their allowable amount and if this amount turned out to be relatively high, then there are thoughts of tighten up (changing the ordinance) the allowable space.
By using GIS (Geographic Information System) the Development Department was able to determine percentages for each lot category and for the Village as a whole, which now gives them the capability for future impervious lot coverage decision making.
In this day and age having accurate, reliable, and live information is important. It’s critical for dispatch to have correct and current addresses, it’s key for inspectors to know where and what permits were issued for that day, week, month, and it’s essential for developing communities to have up to date available property listings. By using GIS and other Village applications GIS will be able to provide these capabilities for the Village of Glenview. Dispatch will be able to plot live incidents, Inspectors will be able to map out and view current and past permits along with viewing what type of permit(s) have been issued, and possibly, Development will be able to plot up to date available properties.
By being able to mashup or merge several applications\databases into one is priceless and endless. GIS can provide this platform and the hope is that, the sky is the limit.
The Village of Glenview has currently been tasked to come up with ways to more effectively and efficiently answer and fix drainage issues, and has requested assistance from the GIS department. One solution would be to set up a storm water fund, supplying that fund by applying a utility tax, and using it to perform maintenance on drainage ditches (which is currently not maintained by the Village.) GIS created data and maps that display major and minor public ditches and major and minor private ditches, and these maps will potentially be used to present to the Board of Trustees to assist with the approval of setting this storm water fund up.
Another solution is using GIS to assist with centralizing all complaint data (permits, subdivision plats, and etc.) for the inspectors to use in the field. The historical and current data is stored in Laserfiche (document management system) and MUNIS (records and work order system.) By using GIS to combine these two applications and viewing it through Map Office Advanced it will save the inspectors a lot of research time beforehand (before the inspectors go out on a complaint they have research and determine solutions and\or who is at fault.)
By using GIS it provides the Inspectors and the Village with a faster and a more cost effectively way for dealing with drainage complaints.
Currently the Village of Glenview does not maintain existing drainage ditches or culverts. This long-standing policy may merit review by the Board of Trustees as many neighborhoods depend heavily on ditch flow as their primary means of storm water drainage. Development of a Village-wide inventory of the existing right-of-way, and easemented drainage ditches is proposed for completion within 2010. Currently the Village is using Geographic Information System (GIS) to create this inventory.
By using GIS it provides the Village with a better understanding of where and how many linear feet of public and private ditches are in the Village. It also allows for Capital projects to present a more complete report and presentation, which could ultimately be the deciding factor on whether or not the Board of Trustees approves a storm water maintenance fund.
Each year Public Works selects sections on roadways throughout the Village for its Minor Area Resurfacing Strategy or M.A.R.S project, and they use GIS to plot these areas based off an address, multiple addresses, and\or intersections. Once these areas have been determined then small resurfacing patches are applied, which can extend the life of the full roadway for up to 5 years.
By using GIS for this project it gives Public Works a better understanding for where these troubled areas are located. Which in return, assist them with prioritizing their list for the five-year Capital Improvements Plan. GIS and M.A.R.S allows for better cost effective decision making.
A recent development in the Glenview Geographic Information System (GIS) has been the creation of the firework fallout locations for the Fire Department. The information created includes the site locations and the fallout buffers for each location. Fallouts are determined by the size of the shell, and a one inch shell has a radius or fallout of 70 feet.
The Fallout map is available for the Fire Department and or all Village staff at any time through GIS or the PDF map folder which is located in the all employee accessible directory. This data provides an excellent resource for quickly referencing site locations and assisting with or containing any potential fallout related fires or problems.
A recent development in the Glenview Geographic Information System (GIS) has been the creation of the landscape site locations. Information created includes the site description and which group the site is associated with. One other statistic that can quickly be calculated using GIS, is the total area for each site.
The Landscape map is available to all staff at any time through GIS and or the PDF map folder which is located in the all employee accessible directory on the Server. This data can and will provide an excellent resource for quickly referencing site location and potentially assisting Public Works and the contractors with improved routing.
The Village of Glenview Inspectional Services executes numerous inspections on a daily basis including all businesses and multi-story non-residential buildings for Fire inspections. Before the advent of Geography Information Systems and MUNIS, Fire inspectors used CityView software (address database) for their daily inspections.
Now, they are able to use MUNIS (for issuing and inventorying permits) and GIS analysis and map design (for evenly distributing all addresses into 4 inspection zones) on their laptops. This not only increases productivity (a higher number of inspected properties in a given day due to evenly distributing addresses into each zone) it also demonstrates the power of integration\central repository for two products (MUNIS and GIS), which saves even more time.
The majority of Municipal Departments use hard copy maps for various daily tasks. Maps are still used considerably to show analysis results, however new advances in technology have provided other ways to dispense and even interact with data.
It is very common for maps to be delivered digitally by email in such formats has JPEG, PDF, and Bitmaps. By doing this it saves both time and money, and data\information can be received in a matter of seconds by many individuals at once. Even better, with the advances in technology, dynamic mapping applications are now accessible for everyone to use. These applications place dynamic GIS tools in the hands of all employees. Which allows them to interact with their data and use it for presentations, daily work routines, and creating hardcopy’s for disposal, and again, increases productivity and saves money. Through the GIS program\department the Village of Glenview has access to such a product and that product is, Map Office Advanced.
Map Office Advanced is a web-based dynamic\interactive map that only Glenview employees can use. Map Office Advanced allows employees to search for addresses, retrieve parcel\property summaries, identify police beats, Board of Trustees districts, FEMA floodway locations, measure areas, link to Google Earth, and overlay custom datasets such as Zoning and Snow plow routes, all of which is used for effective and efficient decision making.
Employees for the Village of Glenview often request very simple, but effective ways for determining attributes for property owners and one of these attributes is\are, zip codes. With assistance from Geographic Information System (GIS), Employees are now able to quickly look at the zip code map and find out a residence(s) zip code in a matter of seconds.
With the readiness of the GIS data\maps for zip codes, Employees are now capable of verifying residences zip codes on the fly. You may not think this is very important, but before GIS, Employees had to look this information up on the County’s website which in most cases took\takes 5-10 minutes. Not only does GIS provide maps like this, it also increases Employee productivity.
Police, Fire, and EMS dispatch plays a very important and crucial role for any State, County, City, or Village; and any Dispatcher, Police officer, Firemen, or EMT will tell you that timing and accurate information is everything. The Village of Glenview utilizes Geography Information Systems (GIS) by integrating GIS data into their New World Systems (software mapping applications) for accurate computer aided dispatch. GIS and NWS give dispatchers the ability to supply all Police, Fire, and EMS with the most up to date address locations.
Before GIS; Police, Fire, EMS, and Dispatch had to rely heavily on paper maps (or no maps at all) which were not 100% accurate and in some cases hand drawn. Now, by using the power of Geography Information Systems and New World Systems Police Officers, Firemen, EMT, and Dispatchers are able to respond to calls much faster and more effectively, which in return saves time (it would take to loop up the address) and money (gas and loss productivity.)
In conclusion, as States, Counties, Cities\Villages grow so does the demand for Police, Fire, and EMS along with the demand for accurate data and mapping. Not only does GIS allow for this to happen, it can also assist with decision making on critical cost saving issues.
The Village of Glenview is currently applying for a roadway improvement Grant Application for Chestnut Ave (from Lehigh Ave to Waukegan Rd.) In this process, a key component for consideration is the economic impact to the neighboring community of a roadway project, both short term (construction jobs) and long term (improved ability of customers to access stores, productivity increases due to shorter travel times, and possibility for future area redevelopment. ) It is the Village’s responsibility to demonstrate how a project meets this criteria.
Utilizing the power of Geography Information Systems (GIS) the Chestnut Ave Corridor was analyzed and along with a Site map; Business, Demographic, Income, and Executive summaries were generated. The GIS Department used a free application called Business Analyst to generate these reports and map. In addition to the reports and map, the Village has hired a Financial consultant to help them prepare the “Economic Competitiveness” section of the grant application. Business Analyst is a tool in which they use on a regular basis and charge an hourly rate of $250.00.
In a time when the economy is like it is and municipalities are looking for ways to trim budgets without laying employees off, if it were not for the GIS more money than necessary would have been spent. In addition, Business Analyst is a free and cost effective\revenue generator application the Village can use for future projects.
The Glenview Police Department relies on incident mapping for home and auto theft to assist with identifying hotspots, in hopes of deterring future criminal activity. Geographic Information System (GIS) can help provide a dynamic and a static view for incidents\hotspots throughout the community. One of the main components of making this system work is providing and maintaining all GIS data for the Dispatch\mapping software and hardcopy maps that display incident location, date, time, and high areas of criminal activity.
With the readiness of the GIS data\maps for the incident mapping and Dispatch\mapping software the officers are now able to patrol beats more effectively and efficiently. This considerably streamlines the workflow procedure. Supervisors and officers will now have more up to date and improved information in the field.
Designing and maintaining the GIS data for the Dispatch software and static maps allows the Police Department the ability to more successfully fight criminal activities.
The Village of Glenview contains several sidewalks that require annually maintenance and also too, plowing during the Winter months. Public Works Supervisor Joe Rizzo requested a map that would display 5 zones of evenly distributed sidewalks (square foot) for each zones. Utilizing the power of Geographic Information System (GIS) the sidewalks were analyzed and evenly distributed into 5 zones. The GIS Department designed a map displaying the location for each sidewalk, 5 zones, which zone each sidewalk was in, and a table showing each zone’s square footage of sidewalk. A digital copy of this map is located on the village’s shared network drive.
Supervisors and maintenance workers can use this map to identify where all sidewalks are located, where each zone is (for assigning work), the ability to quickly print (in case of emergencies) and how much square footage of sidewalk is in each zone. The map allows for them to more effectively and efficiently maintain sidewalks, which equals saving time and money. The map can easily be adjusted if new sidewalks are constructed and or removed.
Supplying the map in digital form and placing it on the villages shared network drive allows them the ability to quickly access and print it at anytime.
Village staffs in the water utility department, including managers, operators and executive directors, need an updated understanding of how utility systems are performing, where employees should be focusing their efforts and how village residents are affected. Geographic Information System (GIS) can help to provide a dynamic view of operations and activities throughout your community. One of the main components of making this system work is consistently updating your data so that it is current. While GIS staff knows how to enter and manage GIS systems they often don’t have the expertise or the opportunity to make data changes out in the field.
With the availability of mobile computers and skilled public works staff it is now possible that the ones out in the field doing the manual work can also make the updates to the GIS. This significantly streamlines the workflow process. Crews will have more up to date information in the field, better information in the field beyond the labels on their paper maps, and won't have to fill out paper forms. The important part in implementing mobile GIS updating is that you keep it straightforward. Once users are comfortable with mobile mapping you can expand its functionality. This summer the village did just that by having its valve turning GIS data updated in the field.
Using a rugged laptop, public works staff, with great success, has been updating all the system valve data for the village water utility as they turn valves. When completed this data will be checked and imported back into the utility system for display in key village programs like MapOffice™ Advanced. It is a great start to what mobile GIS and is just the beginning for the village’s plans for mobile GIS editing.
The use of Geographic Information System (GIS) to understand spatial patterns of crime and criminal behavior has become more prevalent in recent years. The recent introduction of GIS and reporting software has made this type of analysis increasingly easier. Every several months the Police Department for the Village of Glenview receives updated maps showing the location and time of residential and automotive burglaries along with summary statistics. Looking at the addresses spatially allows for the detectives to put together possible patterns in criminal behavior.
It is important to note that because the village uses New World Systems for its dispatch and records keeping software. The GIS and New World Systems is integrated making mapping quick and efficient. The software uses the GIS data to show squad cars where an emergency is as well as logging that emergency into a records database. Using these records the GIS Department and Police Department add the data to a map providing a spatial context not always readily apparent when responding to burglaries. By mapping and cataloging incidences, patrol adjustment may be modified to ensure that problematic areas are receiving increased resources (i.e. more patrols, increased frequency of patrols). The inclusion of graphs and charts also gave other police department staff personnel such as detectives a historical understanding of where crime has happened as well whether the burglary was categorized as either residential and/or automotive.
In the past this type of analysis was done on large village wide maps with push pins where the data could not be easily shared or emailed. Now with an integrated records/dispatch system and a proper GIS quick analysis of historical and current data displayed on a fully customizable and accurate map becomes much easier.
The Village of Glenview has recently installed a kiosk in the Development Department to answer questions by contractors, residents and realtors. The kiosk gives individuals the ability to quickly find out information about Village property from a single source. Questions such as what school district is a property in? What residential services are available? What day is garbage pickup? What is the approximate age square footage of my home? What is the Village zoning classification? All these questions can be answered using the kiosk.
Prior to using GIS as the central repository for Village data, finding and navigating the maze of data sources was difficult and time consuming. A Geographic Information System (GIS) fits this very need. It captures, stores, analyzes, manages and presents data that is linked to a geographic location (in most cases a street address). Prior to using GIS the school data would need to be retrieved from the school district, property information such as assessed value or square footage would need to be taken from the Cook County Assessor and zoning data would have to be requested from the Village. This process was far from instant and certainly without the ease of using a graphic interface to make it intuitive. Today using a single graphical interface, a realtor for example can get all this data in under a minute.
The efficiency of GIS makes it a powerful marketing tool for village property. It allows a user to retrieve available residential services, improves data accuracy and increases the amount of data a contractor, resident or a realtor has access to. With all the data in one central location the ability to make changes and updates is easier than ever before. The GIS is a dynamic system that continues to grow as the Village moves forward with its Strategic Technology Plan and we encourage you to come and try it out.
Home rule is the ability of a Municipal government to facilitate greater local control over the government decision making process. Home rule charters, or local constitutions that establish such status, are voted on by the residents. This article looks at the case to increase Glenview's Home Rule Sales Tax (HRST) from 0.5% to 0.75%.
The levying of a home rule sales tax is a means to generate village income. All cities that have a population over 25,000; have a home rule option in Illinois, municipalities however are optional. A majority of the communities surrounding Glenview have HRST that greatly exceeded Glenview's 0.5%. As of July 1st 2007; Northbrook to the north had a HRST of 0.75%, Morton Grove to the south was 1.00% and Des Plaines to the west was levying a 1.00% HRST. The increase in HRST tax was requested so that the Village could continue to meet the needs of capital improvement projects which were currently running at a deficient. An increase would help assure that the quality of infrastructure that Village residents had come to expect would be maintained.
By providing a map of neighboring communities and their current rates it gave context to a 0.25% raise. According to the spatial analysis Glenview's updated 0.75% rate was not out of line with other North Shore communities. In all the map depicted 23 comparable communities to Glenview, 13 of which had HRST of 1.00% and three with 0.75%. Effective July 1, 2008 the HRST for Glenview was increased from one-half of one percent (.50%) to three-fourth of one percent (.75%).