Building a Smarter Community: GIS for State and Local Government

by Christopher Thomas (Editor), Keith Mann (Editor)

Overview

Provide open data, balance decisions and initiatives, and create equitable policies.

Smart communities don’t wait for someone to deem them smart; they take action. State and local governments worldwide have taken that first step using geographic information system (GIS) technology. Applying GIS to planning and urban design, public works operations, and racial equity and social justice has helped meet citizens’ needs and improve government operations. And with advancements in smart technology, location intelligence for state and local governments is not just for GIS specialists.

More informed, data-driven decisions lead to improved outcomes that can be shared and replicated in other communities, helping citizens and government collaborate for the common good. Building a Smarter Community: GIS for State and Local Government shows how government leaders in cities, counties, and states have applied GIS for improved planning, operations, and civic inclusion.

In this collection of case studies and guidance to get started, learn how GIS:

• Helped planners visualize affordable housing patterns in Honolulu, Hawaii
• Radically changed stormwater management practices in Salinas County, California
• Improved easy access to city data, initiatives, and services in Coral Gables, Florida
• Supported minority-owned business during the COVID pandemic in San Rafael, California

Web apps, GIS hubs and dashboards, and other GIS solutions help state and local governments develop a deeper understanding of the communities they serve within a real-world context. Sections on getting started with GIS provide helpful ideas, strategies, tools, and actions and a collection of online resources to jump-start your use of GIS for state and local government.

Discover how GIS and location intelligence support state and local government decisions and citizen participation in Building a Smarter Community.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781589486843
Publisher:	Esri Press
Publication date:	06/29/2021
Series:	Applying GIS , #3
Pages:	120
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Christopher Thomas is the director of Government Marketing at Esri. He is a subject matter expert in government, technology, geographic information systems, marketing, and global business development. His books include GIS for Decision Support and Public Policy Making, Standards for Success: GIS for Federal Progress and Accountability, and Building a Smarter Community: GIS for State and Local Government.

Keith Mann is a principal content strategist for Esri Press. He is a writer, developmental editor, and contributor to books, such as the GIS for Science series and the Applying GIS series of books, including Delivering Water and Power: GIS for Utilities, Building a Smarter Community: GIS for State and Local Government, Moving Forward: GIS for Transportation, Valuing Place and Purpose: GIS for Land Administration, Designing Our Future: GIS for Architecture, Engineering, and Construction, and GIS for Science: Volumes 1, 2, and 3.

Table of Contents

Introduction

How to use this book

PART 1: PLANNING AND URBAN DESIGN

• Showing the community what is possible: Oshkosh, Wisconsin
• Understanding the impacts of new development: Seattle, Washington
• Using Green infrastructure to fuel smarter growth Name: Richland County, South Carolina
• Uncovering the visual patterns of affordable housing: Honolulu, Hawaii

Getting started with GIS

PART 2: OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

• Prioritizing repairs on roadways with GIS: District of Columbia, United States
• Strengthening data collection workflows: City of Salina, California
• Modernizing wastewater management: Ontwa Township, Michigan
• Improving operations with mobile GIS: City of Santa Barbara, California

Getting started with GIS

PART 3: DATA-DRIVEN DECISIONS

• Creating a single, shared source of information: Texas Department of Parks and Wildlife
• Improving financial transparency: City of Topeka, Kansas
• Increasing data value with location analytics: City of Sacramento, California
• Meeting the needs of modern citizens: Coral Gables, Florida

Getting started with GIS

PART 4: CIVIC INCLUSION

• Reaching more people with accessible data: City of Johns Creek, Georgia
• Creating an innovative, inclusive city: City of Brampton, Ontario
• Supporting Minority-Owned Businesses: City of San Rafael, California
• Bringing Equity and Social Justice into Focus: King County, Washington

Getting started with GIS

Contributors

Interviews

All case studies and images used in this book are reproduced from Esri publications, including ArcNews, ArcUser, ArcWatch, WhereNext, and the Esri Blog. People submitting content to these publications agree to the following stipulations: You agree that by submitting materials to Esri, you grant Esri and its distributors permission to use, copy, adapt, edit, modify, merge, reproduce, translate, publicly and digitally display and/or perform and redistribute the submitted materials in any form now known or later developed, and that you have the authority to grant these rights to Esri.