Now that parcel data is current, the Assessor's Office closes tax rolls twice a year, increasing revenue for the County. The GIS has also improved the County's emergency response capability. Before, County 911 automatic dispatch coverage did not extend to new subdivisions, since Planning Department street and address records were 18 months behind new development. Development is a public decision-making process, and the Planning Department sends out more than 17,000 notices per month to inform residents of hearings on proposed subdivisions. Using the GIS, one staff person can identify and notify property owners, activity that formerly consumed three full-time positions.
Growth can strain road, water, and sewer systems.
But now that the County has geocoded facility, zoning, and property data, a new suite of GIS-based facilities management tools help departments to efficiently maintain and upgrade costly infrastructures. The Public Works Department has developed an application that draws data off the street centerline and parcel databases to track pavement conditions and plan maintenance. For example, the County plans to warehouse data and provide spatial tools for decision support based on Microsoft Visual Basic software. My children will benefit from the GIS that we are building today.