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The City of Chula Vista GIS - What is GIS?
A Geographic Information System, or GIS, is a computer-based mapping
and information system. It combines layers of information about
a place to give you a better understanding of that place. What layers
of information you combine depends on your purpose-finding the best
location for a new business, analyzing habitats, viewing crimes
in a city to detect a pattern, and more. A GIS system requires hardware,
software, data, trained users, and analysis methods for interpreting
the results generated by the GIS.
A GIS enables the City to link information about places, events
and facilities to their correct location on a map. This enables
the City's massive amounts of data to be stored, accessed, managed,
and analyzed in a computer and then viewed geographically on a computer
screen in a map format making the information easier to manage,
analyze, interpret and disseminate.
The City's GIS System:
The City of Chula Vista GIS system is comprised of hardware, software,
applications and staff trained in the use of GIS. The hardware includes
a variety of personal computers, unix workstations, a digitizer,
printers and plotters. The GIS staff generally uses ESRI (Environmental
Systems Research Institute of Redlands, CA) software to develop,
maintain and analyze data, produce maps and create applications.
Data are stored for City staff use on the network and are accessible
through either desktop GIS software or through in-house, customized
applications. The GIS staff has recently developed applications
for the intranet and internet that allow staff and the public to
access basic GIS data with just an internet browser on their desktop
(see below).
Chula Vista Internet Mapping:
The City of Chula Vista has developed interactive mapping for the
public to use.
Click
here to use this mapping application.
Why did the City implement a GIS?
The City of Chula Vista implemented an integrated GIS, accessed
and utilized by all City departments that use geographic information.
This includes data such as population demographics, facility locations,
base mapping, development monitoring and land use data. The GIS
enables the City to manage and process a large amount of geographically
based information with flexibility, accuracy and efficiency, to
automate and streamline the map-making function, and to provide
spatial analytical capabilities. As a multi-departmental resource,
GIS includes common citywide base maps and related data, as well
as specialized departmental thematic maps and data. The system is
compatible with other systems for integration and sharing of data,
expandable to meet user needs, and readily accessible and user friendly.
Many public and quasi-public agencies, as well as consulting and
engineering firms around San Diego County currently use GIS. These
include the City of San Diego, County of San Diego, City of Encinitas,
City of Escondido, City of Oceanside, SANDAG and SDG&E to name
a few. Most of the agencies use the same or compatible GIS software
as Chula Vista does. Many others are considering acquiring systems
in the near future.
Why is GIS important to the City?
GIS is a core information-age technology that is assisting the city
in achieving its top priorities of increased public safety and economic
development while helping create a more customer friendly and efficient
municipal government.
The importance of an accurate basemap:
The value of GIS is its ability to accurately overlay information
from diverse sources and then view the data relationships in a map
format. The City's base maps (parcels, planimetric data) were developed
through an orthophotography project with Merrick & Co. of Colorado.
The City was flown and orthophotos produced. We have 2' contours
for the area west of Otay Lakes, and 10' contours for the area east.
We have curbs, pavement edge, sidewalks, wastewater and stormwater
features, centerlines, and hydrologic features that were provided
by the contractor at a high accuracy. Our data are aligned to these
features. We seek to continually improve the quality of our data
through digital submittals from engineers, and more up-to-date data
from other agencies such as Otay Water District.
How does this benefit me?
City Staff
- Speeds up work
- Allows better service to the public
- Allows more access to information which results in better decisions
- Allows analysis that would previously have been difficult or
impossible
City Business Person/Consultant
- Allows better access to decision-making information
- Reduces government costs
- Allows better access to government services
- Reduces cost of doing business
City Resident
- Allows better access to government services
- Provides improved government services
- Provides new information available in easy-to-understand format
(map)
- Reduces cost through increased efficiency
Importance of Maintenance:
The City receives monthly downloads from the County Tax Assessor and
the City's permitting system. New street centerlines are added as
they are addressed. The City receives new parcel and centerline information
in digital form from the Developers (Final Maps) and now requires
digital submittals for Tentative Maps, Grading and Landscaping Maps,
Parcel Maps, and Improvement Plans. The Improvement Plans will be
particularly useful for updating several GIS layers. The City considers
it crucial to keep the database as up-to-date as possible since many
departments rely on our data for their daily functions. If any errors
are detected, please notify ITS and it will be researched and corrected.
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