Purpose

Geographic Information System (GIS) is a tool for linking and displaying graphical (spatial) data with tabular data. This combination allows for the creation of products and services that would be difficult, if not impossible to produce by other means. GIS allows for the management and analysis of large sets of information. GIS is increasingly important to support decision-making. The development and use of a GIS can be complex and expensive. To effectively overcome these, an organization must be committed to its GIS for the life of the system.

Geographical display of tabular data

In some instances, it is easier to interpret data when it is graphed, aggregated or displayed geographically. One feature of a GIS is the ability to take relational data containing the appropriate references or links (such as an address or parcel number) and represent it in a geographic context.

Organizational Efficiencies

Many organization efficiencies can be achieved by the association of tabular data and geographically referenced data. The City has many application where this is being done currently. For example, the City's Development Departments use a counter utility with property and ownership data geographically referenced to assist customers at the service counters. This application was a tremendous improvement over the former practice where staff would have to spend time researching maps, files and reports to assist the public.  As a result of past success, the City will continue to facilitate links between tabular data and geographic data where feasible to promote maximum efficiency.

System Design

Staffing, Equipment, & Software

The City of Ontario GIS division is staffed by the following positions:

IT Applications Manager
Senior Systems Analyst
GIS Analyst
GIS Specialist (3)

Web Technician
Administrative Interns (2)

GIS staff consists of highly trained individuals in the use of GIS software and equipment. The staff requires competencies in numerous technically challenging environments. The GIS division uses a variety of computer hardware. The following is a list of the equipment used:

Unix and Window Servers, Unix and Windows workstations, Digital Cameras, Plotters / Printers, Scanners, Digitizers, GPS units, and Handheld computers.

The following is a general list of software used:

ESRI's ArcInfo, ArcMap, ArcView, MapObjects, and ArcIMS, Visual Basic, HTML, Oracle, Accela Permit Tracking, Muncipal Software - CityView, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Foxpro, and Crystal Reports.

Land Data Maintenance

It is a primary role of the GIS staff to maintain land data in a GIS format that accurately represents the City's land base. In general, geographic features are located on the earth surface. These can occur naturally (rivers, vegetation), can be constructed (roads, buildings) or can be a subdivision of land (cities, parcels). GIS models the world with points, lines and polygons to represent these features. A GIS can also maintain attribute data (information associated or linked to the land data) about these features. A primary goal and purpose of a GIS is to maintain current and accurate information. To accomplish data maintenance with accuracy and a high level of integrity, there must be close coordination with the source of data (in this case the City's land development departments).

The process that the City of Ontario uses for ensuring approved changes to land properties is outlined below:

Plans are reviewed and approved by Authorized Staff, Development Advisory Board, Planning Commission and/or City Council. These documents are forwarded to the GIS division for incorporation (via digitizing) into current data layers. These documents are scanned and associated with the related development case, linked to the related GIS base layer or associated with an address or parcel. Maps or atlas sheets are update as necessary to reflect these changes

SDE (or Spatial Database Engine) is the fundamental data architecture for ESRI's GIS platform. The City uses this industry standard data management tool to maintain its GIS layers. This environment has opened many opportunities to link other tabular data with GIS based data.

Internet

The GIS Division is responsible for the maintenance of the City's Web Site. Many mapping applications have been deployed by the City over the past several years. These will continue throught the use of Internet Mapping Services (IMS) another industry standard GIS tool.

Oracle

The City's database environment is Oracle. The City purchased a population based site license for the database software and is able to numerous databases in various operating system environments.

Printing & Plotting

Printing and plotting capabilities have been deployed throughout the City. Mapping and graphical requirements need to be considered in the selection of plotting and printing devices.

Documentation

The GIS staff utilizes the cataloging features of ArcGIS to document the metadata of the layers and other GIS data. A map library product will also be used to help track and document maps and projects.

End Users - ArcView

Users needing a view of GIS data will be supplied with viewing software such as ArcView or customized applications such as the counter utility.

End Users - Web based

The City will continue to develop applications for viewing GIS and other related data through Internet Map Server (IMS) techniques.

Control Framework

The City of Ontario is located in Southern California in the United States. The coordinate system deemed best suited to display this data where Ontario is the focus is the California State Plan NAD 83 Zone 5 system. City data maintained is maintained in this coordinate system. Tools exist to project this data to other related systems.

Orthophotography

The City of Ontario currently 9" pixel resolution color digital ortho photography (NMAS compliant) covering its 50 square miles. The southern portion was flown in 1999, the norther portion was flown in 2000. Ortho photography of this quality can be used as a base reference for other data layers.

The City will purchase 6" pixel resolution color digital ortho photography covering the City's boundaries from Kodak in the fall of 2002 (NMAS compliant).

National Map Accuracy Standards

United States National Map Accuracy Standards (http://mapping.usgs.gov/standards/) define accuracy standards for published maps, including horizontal and vertical accuracy, accuracy testing method, accuracy labeling on published maps, labeling when a map is an enlargement of another map, and basic information for map construction as to latitude and longitude boundaries.

These standards are used in the collection and presentation of data. The City of Ontario typically requires this level of accuracy its own data development as well as in purchasing data.

GPS

The GIS division uses a Trimble Pathfinder Pro GPS. GPS is used to collect geographically based locations which are triangluated from satellites and radio communications.

Digital Submissions

The City of Ontario currently does not have a requirement for digital submissions of plans or records. The City, in leiu of this requirement, scans certain documents into a digital format for document managment and tracking purposes.

Contract Data Development.

On occassion, the City of Ontario uses third party vendors to capture and collect data, scan documents and develop GIS data layers.

Products

Inventory

GIS in Ontario consist of over 300 layers of data. Some categories of layers are:

Airport, Environmental, Fire, Footprints, General Plan, Geology, Landuse, Miscellaneous, Parcel, Pipelines, Public Works, Rail, Sewer, Street, Utility, and Water

A resolution (2002-038) approved by the City Council authorizes the sales of GIS data and services to interested parties (Data and Services). Please contact us for details.

Mapping

An obvious product of a GIS is mapping. Maps are generated daily in the City by hundreds of users. Maps such as General Plan, Zoning, Specific Plan and New Developments are frequently updated. Other mapping is generated dynamically and constantly changing with back end updates and various user queries.

Analysis

GIS staff perform a range of analysis for various projects throughout the City. These consist of housing densities, business license statistics, building permit reporting and many more. The tools available in GIS allow for the analysis of large data in a shorter time frame than could otherwise occur.

Public Safety Support

The Ontario GIS staff supports mapping and applications for both Police and Fire. From plug books and complex pages to in-vehicle mapping and aerial photography.

Economic Development Support

The GIS team supports Economic Development in the location of selected sites. For example, when a retailer is looking for a suitable building with appropriate zoning, GIS queries can provide a short list of sites for the interested parties to pursue. These tools are being further developed to allow for web based queries to achieve similar results.

GIS Based Document Management

Documents are being managed with spatial references, (ie. address) for easy retrieval and location based queries and searches. The City uses several tools from custom Map Objects oriented applications to imbedded links to accomplish this document management technique.

Cost / Benefit

Cost Avoidance

GIS can accommodate cost avoidance in many instances. For example, the counter utilities in Ontario provided an new and alternative method to assist the public at the service counter. Information was aggregated and made available electronically vs. manual research in antiquated filing systems. The GIS philosophy in Ontario has been to exploit opportunities that exist to change business processes and avoid costly, time consuming task.

Cost Benefit Case Studies

A dramatic cost recovery analysis for commercial property revenues in Ontario is illustrated below. A GIS based audit was performed in the early 1990's resulting in the recovery of lost revenues on an annual and perpetual basis. This study is documented as follows:

http://www.esri.com/gisforeveryone/success/stories/ontario.html

Since that study was conducted, there continue to be GIS project providing effieciencies, additional capabilities, information management that represent a positive return on the ongoing investment in this technology.