Rhode Island Feeds

Please join NEURISA for a free webinar about the Northeast LiDAR Project. Mike Shillenn and other Photo Science staff will provide a technical overview of the project approach, specifications, deliverables, and schedule as well as discuss the potential applications served by this high resolution elevation data set.

To be held September 9th, 2010 from 10:00 - 11:00 AM EDT.

Abstract: Funded in part by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009, as well as, direct funding from other federal, state and local entities, Photo Science was recently contracted by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to collect and process LiDAR data for more than 8,000 square miles of the coastal zone and inland areas spanning six Northeastern states, including Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York. Photo Science is tasked to provide project management, LiDAR data collection and processing, control surveys, product development, and quality control services. This project will not only help stimulate the U.S. economy and provide for more accurate floodplain mapping in the region, but will also represent the start of a regional LiDAR collection program that will be used as a test case for a national elevation program. The webinar will feature Photo Science staff providing a technical overview of the project approach, specifications, deliverables and schedule as well as discuss the potential applications served by this high resolution elevation data set.

Speaker: Mike Shillenn, Senior Program Director – Photo Science

Mike Shillenn has over 23 years of experience in the design, management and execution of a broad range of geospatial technology services projects supporting end user applications. He is currently a Senior Program Director at Photo Science’s West Chester, Pennsylvania office working with that firm’s federal, state, local, and commercial clients. He is the immediate Past President of the Pennsylvania Chapter Management Association of Private Photogrammetric Surveyors (PA-MAPPS) where he continues to serve on the Board of Directors. He has served for three terms on the board of directors for the Pennsylvania Mapping and Geographic Information Consortium (PAMAGIC) and was a founding committee member of the Pennsylvania’s I-Team. He has also been active in a variety of professional organizations such as Mid-Atlantic Chapter of URISA (positions included president, vice president, & conference co-chair), GITA, and Pennsylvania Society of Land Surveyors.

Mike holds a BS in Geography from the Pennsylvania State University and has been granted the title of Certified Photogrammetrist (#R1027) by the American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Mike lives in Downingtown, Pennsylvania with his wife, Dawn, and 20 year old daughter, Erin.

Cost: Free - Online Registration REQUIRED. See www.neurisa.org/events for more information.

More webcast details will be provided in confirmation e-mails prior to the event.

NEURISA sponsors:

Fugro (www.fugro.com)
Applied Geographics (www.appgeo.com)
Tighe & Bond (www.tighebond.com)
VHB (www.vhb.com)
In-Stock Design Supply, Inc. (www.instockdesign.com)
CDM (www.cdm.com)
DGT Survey Group (www.dgtsurvey.com)

Below are the late summer/fall 2010 geospatial training courses offered from UCONN’s Center for Land use Education and Research (CLEAR). For more information about course content and registration, please visit our new website at http://clear.uconn.edu/geospatial. Please pass this along to anyone who might be interested and feel free to contact me with any questions. Thanks!

Geospatial Technologies at Work: An Introduction to GIS - August 31-September 2

An intensive three-day course that introduces students to basic GIS concepts through the use of ESRI’s desktop GIS software. Course fee $300

Pictures, Points and Places: An Introduction to GPS - September 16-17

A two-day hands on course that covers a wide variety of topics from planning data collection activities to the incorporation of GPS data into geographic information systems and “earth viewers” such as Google Earth. Participants will also learn how to integrate and georeference digital photographs in their mapping projects. Course fee $150

Mash-up Madness: Using Google Tools to Create Maps on the Web – October 19

NEW COURSE! This one-day course introduces students to the basics of creating simple mapping “mash-ups” – interactive, online maps using free tools including Google Maps and Google Earth. Topics explored include Google Maps “My Maps” and creating KML in Google Earth as well as techniques for sharing online maps through email and embedded content. Course fee $100

Creating and Using Geospatial Models: An Introduction to ModelBuilder for ArcGIS – November 23

A one-day course that introduces ArcGIS users to the capabilities and uses of ModelBuilder, a tool which allows users to create geoprocessing models to automate repetitive tasks within ArcGIS. Some working knowledge of ArcGIS is strongly recommended. Course fee $100

Developing Custom Geoprocessing Tools: An Introduction to Python Scripting – December 8-9

A two-day course which introduces ArcGIS users to the basics of writing and integrating Python scripts in ArcGIS. Python is a scripting language supported by ESRI. This course aims to provide students with the foundation and resources necessary to develop proficiency with automating geoprocessing tasks with Python scripts. This is an advanced course, individuals should be familiar with ArcGIS, ArcToolbox and geoprocessing tools. Course fee $150

* Note: All GIS training courses are currently taught using ArcGIS 9.3. ArcGIS 10 courses will begin in early 2011.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cary B. Chadwick
Geospatial Educator
Center for Land use Education and Research (CLEAR)
University of Connecticut, Department of Extension
1066 Saybrook Road, PO Box 70
Haddam, CT 06438

cary.chadwick@uconn.edu
(860) 345-5216
http://clear.uconn.edu

Over the several days, the URI Environmental Data Center completed significant server updates and reconfigurations that will help to better support the growing catalog of free online map services via the beta Rhode Island Digital Atlas (http://www.edc.uri.edu/atlas). Nearly all map services have been restored, including the popular Spring 2008 RI E-911 aerial photographs. The remaining map services will be continue to be brought online over the next few days.

One important change to note is that all map services available via the Atlas now use the WGS 1984 Web Mercator (Auxiliary Sphere) coordinate system (EPGS/WKID code 3857). If you use Esri ArcGIS software to access these map services, you will need to use version 9.3 or newer since this coordinate system isn’t supported by earlier versions. ArcGIS software users may need to drop and re-add any layers in your map documents that reference the older map services for them to work correctly. The coordinate system change was necessary to support the growth of the Atlas, but fortunately I don’t anticipate needing to change it again for quite some time unless if Google/Bing/Esri cook up something new!

I appreciate your patience over this transitory stage, and am looking forward unveiling more features for the RIGIS website and the Rhode Island Digital Atlas over the coming months. The best is yet to come!

Over the several days, the URI Environmental Data Center completed significant server updates and reconfigurations that will help to better support the growing catalog of free online map services via the beta Rhode Island Digital Atlas (http://www.edc.uri.edu/atlas). Nearly all map services have been restored, including the popular Spring 2008 RI E-911 aerial photographs. The remaining map services will be continue to be brought online over the next few days.

One important change to note is that all map services available via the Atlas now use the WGS 1984 Web Mercator (Auxiliary Sphere) coordinate system (EPGS/WKID code 3857). If you use Esri ArcGIS software to access these map services, you will need to use version 9.3 or newer since this coordinate system isn’t supported by earlier versions. ArcGIS software users may need to drop and re-add any layers in your map documents that reference the older map services for them to work correctly. The coordinate system change was necessary to support the growth of the Atlas, but fortunately I don’t anticipate needing to change it again for quite some time unless if Google/Bing/Esri cook up something new!

I appreciate your patience over this transitory stage, and am looking forward unveiling more features for the RIGIS website and the Rhode Island Digital Atlas over the coming months. The best is yet to come!

The next RIGIS User Group meeting will be held this coming Tuesday, August 3rd, at the Town of East Greenwich Police Department (176 First Avenue) in the Community Room.

Here's the agenda:

1:00pm Introductions

1:15pm Teresa Crean (URI) will speak about RI Sea Grant Program

1:45pm Michele Giorgianni (Applied Geographics) will speak about RI municipal GIS implementations

2:15pm BREAK for networking

2:45pm John Cassidy and Mark Scott (ESRI) will speak about and give a demonstration of ArcGIS v10

3:45pm Wrap-up

4:00pm Adjourn


See you on Tuesday. - Shane

Just a quick reminder and update that the next RIGIS User Group meeting will be held next week, Tuesday, August 3rd, at the Town of East Greenwich Police Department (176 First Avenue) in the Community Room. The meeting will be held at its regular time (1-4pm) with a regular agenda format:

• Introductions
• 2 speakers (RI Sea Grant, Applied Geographics Municipal GIS)
• Half-hour break for networking
• 2 speakers (ESRI ArcGIS v10, TBD)
• RIGIS Update
• Wrap-up

A more detailed agenda will be sent out shortly.

I look forward to seeing you at this meeting!

Please mark off Tuesday, August 3rd from 1-4pm on your calendar to attend the regular quarterly meeting of the RIGIS User Group. Attendance is free and open to all users of GIS technology in Rhode Island. For your planning purposes, this meeting will be held somewhere in central RI (probably in East Greenwich, Coventry or North Kingstown). A slate of speakers is currently being developed. If you're interested in sharing your work, please contact Shane White.

More details to come...

Please mark off Tuesday, August 4th from 1-4pm on your calendar to attend the regular quarterly meeting of the RIGIS User Group. Attendance is free and open to all users of GIS technology in Rhode Island. For your planning purposes, this meeting will be held somewhere in central RI (probably in East Greenwich, Coventry or North Kingstown). A slate of speakers is currently being developed. If you're interested in sharing your work, please contact Shane White.

More details to come...

From the New England Section of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM):

The New England Section of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping (ACSM) and the Connecticut Association of Land Surveyors (CALS) are proud to present a GNSS Positioning Short Course offered on five consecutive Saturdays this summer starting on July 10, 2010 and ending on August 7, 2010. Each Saturday class begins at 8 am and ends at noon, and will be held at the University of Connecticut located in Storrs, Connecticut.

Summary:

This course will present the foundation information needed for a GNSS positioning professional to understand how their equipment works, with guidance to its proper usage. It is not a course on GNSS processing software or GNSS orthometric heighting.

For more information and to download the PDF Registration form Click Here.

TRAINING/WORKSHOPS

Habitat Priority Planner Web Demonstrations

The Habitat Priority Planner is a GIS-based decision support tool that helps to identify priority locations for conservation and restoration planning. Web demonstrations that highlight the tool's functionality are offered on the last Monday of each month. Upcoming dates are June 28, July 26. To sign up, send an e-mail to nos.csc.hpp@noaa.gov.

For more information on the Habitat Priority Planner, please visit http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/hpp/

CanVis Virtual Workshops

CanVis is a visual simulation tool that enables users to add objects to images in order to visualize impacts of future management decisions.

Virtual workshops will be offered June 23, and July 21. The workshops provide an introduction to CanVis with hands-on activities.

Register by e-mailing nos.csc.canvis@noaa.gov. For more information about CanVis, go to http://www.csc.noaa.gov/canvis

Introduction to N-SPECT Training

Land use professionals use the Nonpoint-Source Pollution and Erosion Comparison Tool (N-SPECT) to investigate potential water quality impacts from land use and land cover changes, including development, and from environmental disturbances such as storms and climate change. If you think you might be interested in this tool http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/nspect/>, then this July 22 training is for you. The hands-on GIS-based workshop will cover how N-SPECT is commonly used, relay helpful tips, and give participants the opportunity to ask questions. Advance registration is required as seating is limited. Visit the N-SPECT training page to learn more about our July 22 virtual training.

http://www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast/tools/nspect/training.html

Road Map for Adapting to Coastal Risks Training

This three-hour training introduces the "Road Map" assessment methodology designed to help communities characterize their exposure to current and future hazard and climate threats and assess how existing planning and policy efforts may integrate this information to address community issues. To see other community risk and vulnerability assessment tools and methods, visit www.csc.noaa.gov/rva_tools/. To sign up for training on August 11, please visit this website http://www.csc.noaa.gov/training/coastalrisk.html

Updated Digital Coast Website

The updated Digital Coast website went live last week. Check it out at www.csc.noaa.gov/digitalcoast! Some of the changes you might notice include improved graphics, search functionality, and updated filters for narrowing down content within pages.

Changes/improvements based on feedback include:

• Video tour of Digital Coast
• Coastal socio-economic data from Census and the Bureau of Economic Analysis
• Archive of "Recent Updates" so users can see what’s been updated beyond most recent items listed on the front page
• Improved ability to receive updates, via more visible Digital Coast listserv sign-up
• Changed name of "Solutions" section to "Approaches"

If you have more ideas for improvements/enhancements – please contact Stephanie Beard, Outreach Specialist with NOAA Geospatial Services Division at Steph.Beard@noaa.gov.

A new dataset posted today to the RIGIS website identifies those areas in Rhode Island that have both a Foreclosure Rate (Block Group Level) >=6.5% and a Subprime Loan percentage rate >= 1.4% (Zip Code Level). This dataset was contributed by the Rhode Island Office of Housing and Community Development in partnership with the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program.

Look for this new dataset under the Planning & Cadastral data download section at http://www.edc.uri.edu/rigis.

Tiverton Planning Department346 Judson Street • Tiverton, Rhode Island 02878(401) 816-0494
January 11, 2010FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Town of Tiverton Goes DigitalGeographic Information System Provides24/7 Access to Parcel Information
The Town of Tiverton recently completed and implemented a town-wide Geographic Information System (GIS), a project made possible through a $54K Statewide Planning Challenge Grant. Matching funds from the Town, as well as in-kind services were utilized to undertake this $84K initiative that included digitizing the Town’s seventy (70) tax maps and more than 8,000 parcels, importing the tax assessor data as well as other local and state data layers, and the creation of a web site to allow for public access to parcel and property information.
In its simplest terms, as Tiverton’s Town Planner Christopher Spencer explained, a Geographic Information System is the merger of maps and data—whereby data, which might otherwise be available only in a table or spreadsheet, can be represented graphically and tied to geographic coordinates on a map. The ability to represent and examine this information spatially, Mr. Spencer went on to say, “allows for complex data to be analyzed quickly, providing insight and revealing otherwise hidden patterns, relationships, or trends”.
The applications for GIS are countless and far reaching as Mr. Spencer outlined. In many communities, police departments utilize GIS for crime mapping and analysis—leading to better patrolling and deployment; fire departments utilize GIS for hydrant locations, E-911 property locations, and to analyze populations, call loads and other information that can improve deployment and assist in planning for the location of future facilities; sewer and water departments utilize GIS for complex mapping of facilities, to analyze repairs, re-route water lines, and plan for facilities expansion based on population growth and density; economic development agencies utilize GIS to map all existing business as well as vacant buildings, parcels or other potential economic development opportunities; and planning departments utilize GIS to help direct growth to areas where infrastructure is available and away from areas where natural constraints such as wetlands, poor soils, or steep slopes could cause future problems.
Recently, Mike Blake and Michelle Giorgianni of Applied Geographics, Inc (the company behind Tiverton’s new GIS) gave a demonstration at a Tiverton Town Council meeting. During this presentation, they highlighted some of the tools available to the public through the new GIS website and demonstrated some uses for the software that a few of the Town departments have purchased.
Public Access and Web InterfacePrior to the implementation of the GIS, if a property owner was doing an addition on their house or something that required a zoning variance and therefore notification of all abutting property owners, they would have to go to the tax assessor’s office, find their parcel on one of the seventy (70) paper maps, and scale-off the map or maps to see which properties fell within 200 feet. Once they determined which properties were within 200 feet, they would need to compile a list of all of the parcel ID’s that are tied to those properties. Finally, they would look up all of the parcel IDs in the tax assessor’s data base, and write down all of the names and addresses of the abutting property owners. All of this could take several hours and could only be done during normal Town Hall operating hours.
With the new GIS web interface, a simple property search can now be conducted by parcel ID, owner’s last name, or property address. Once the search is complete, which takes just a few seconds, the user can click on the “Abutters” tab. This option will produce a map that graphically represents and color codes all abutters within a 200 feet of the primary parcel. The user can customize this map, adding additional information from available layers which can be turned on or off. This map can be saved as a PDF for printing or emailing. An additional option is available to save the list all of the abutting property owners, as well as their mailing addresses either as a PDF formated for printing Avery Address Labels or in a Microsoft Excel format. Rather than taking hours, and perhaps countless trips to town hall, all of this can be accomplished in minutes, and can be done at any time from a home computer or laptop.
Software ApplicationsDuring the Town Council presentation, Mr. Blake and Ms. Giorgianni demonstrated few simple GIS queries. A query, in this case, is a statement expressing a set of conditions that forms the basis for the retrieval of information from a database. The first query they demonstrated was structured to show all properties that are within the R-30 zoning district. (The R-30 designation comes from the requirements from that district—Residential parcels with a minimum area of 30,000 square feet). The second query was structured to find all parcels within that district that were less than 30,000 SF in area, thus not meeting the dimensional requirements for the district. The result was a map which showed that 95% of the parcels in that district do not meet the minimum area requirements, and are therefore dimensionally non-conforming.
One of the first projects that the Planning Department will be undertaking with this new analytical tool involves an examination of the underlying dimensional zoning and the scope of the non-conforming properties. The graphic representation of the data from this study will help provide the basis for recommendations for new zoning designations that match the existing conditions such as parcel sizes, thereby reducing the number and frequency of dimensional variances that might otherwise be required. Ultimately, this has the potential to save property owners and the town time and money. Both commodities, which always seem to be in short supply.
A link to the Town’s Geographic Information System is available on the Town’s website under Quick Links / New Online Property Viewer. The address for the Town’s website is:
http://www.tiverton.ri.gov/index.html
# # #
If you have any questions or would like more information about Tiverton’s new Geographic Information, please email Chris Spencer at town_planer@tiverton.ri.gov or call (401) 816-0494.
“This project was supported by the Rhode Island Statewide Planning Program withfunding provided by the US Department of Transportation, Federal HighwayAdministration”
Contacts
Rhode Island Division of PlanningOne Capitol Hill / 3rd FloorProvidence, Rhode Island 02908
U.S. Department of Transportation 1200 New Jersey Ave, SE Washington, DC 20590
U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Highway Administration1200 New Jersey Ave SEWashington, DC 20590
U.S. Department of TransportationFederal Transit AdministrationEast Building, 4th Floor1200 New Jersey Avenue, SEWashington, DC 20590

It's in Rhode Island this year!!!
You know you should...
- Your Conscience

Call for PresentationsThe Northeast Arc Users Group will hold its 25th Annual Conference, November 7-10, 2010 at the Marriott Hotel in Newport, Rhode Island.

The conference will feature keynote sessions, vendor demonstrations, poster displays and over 60 technical workshops and user presentations. The conference is expected to attract over 500 users of Geographic Information System software including urban and regional planners, educators, natural resource managers, utility professionals and government agencies that use geographic information to help with decision-making and problem-solving on a daily basis. If you are interested in submitting a presentation proposal for the conference, criteria are listed below and on the reverse, and abstracts must be submitted on-line.PRESENTATION FORMATOral Presentations are 20-30 minutes in length. Panel Presentations can include up to 3 presenters, but you must submit the complete presentation concept as part of your abstract. Workshops are intensive 1.5 hour sessions on a specific topic. Poster Presentations will be given space of no more than 4’ x 4’. Awards will be given to the top poster presentations.PRESENTATION TOPIC AREAS

• Emerging Technologies/IT/Mobile Technology
• Facilities Management
• Climate Change
• Infrastructure
• Municipal
• Natural Resources
• Planning
• Public Safety/Health
• Education
• Grab Bag

ABSTRACT SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

• The presentation cannot market specific products and services
• Abstracts should be 150-200 words.
• Presenters must register and pay to attend the conference at regular conference fees.
• Abstracts must be submitted by June 1, 2010
• Questions? Contact Carol Baker, Program Chair at cbaker@southkingstownri.com

Click here to submit a presentation now!

This video taken at the ESRI Business Partner Conference in March provides a great demonstration of some new twists on a old theme. As a suggestion, while you watch it, think about how you might implement some of this free technology with your own GIS content.
http://www.esri.com/events/bpc/plenary/index.html

Seats remain open for each of the NEURISA June webinar events. NEURISA regularly receives inquiries about offering presentations again or in other locations because of distance limits for attending our in-person events. In an effort to make some earlier presentations more accessible, NEURISA is pleased to bring them to you as webinars. We expect to offer more presentations on-line in the future.
In case you missed these seminar topics in the past, they are now being provided again live via webinar, free of charge, on the following dates:
Creating Easy-to-Use Products for Non-GIS UsersJune 10, 2010 11:00 AM - 11:45 AMBy Lynne Fielding, GIS Specialist, Town of Westwood
Making Municipal GIS & Permit Information Available w/Limited ResourcesJune 17, 2010 11:00 AM - 11:45 AMBy Andrew R. Port, AICP - Assistant Town Administrator/Town Planner
Procurement Practices & Principles for GIS PractitionersJune 23, 2010 11:00 AM - 11:45 AMBy Neil MacGaffey, Assistant Director - MassGIS
For more information and to register for this FREE public event please visit: http://www.neurisa.org/ Register today because each is limited to 30 attendees.
Sponsored by: Applied Geographics, CDM, DGT Survey Group, Fugro, In-Stock Design Supply, Inc., Tighe & Bond, and VHB.