Fiscal Year 2001 Annual Report(July 1, 2000 - June 30, 2001)
The Ohio Geographically Referenced Information Program (OGRIP)
Everything Happens Somewhere ! - Nancy Tosta
Vice President, Ross & Associates
Street Centerline 1996Aerial Photography 1996
Street Centerline 2002Aerial Photography 2000
Delaware County, OhioDavid A. Yost, County Auditor
Shoreh Elhami, GIS Director
OGRIP 2001 Annual Report - 2
Tax Mapping ConferenceTax Mapping Conference
“Everything happens somewhere” – NancyTosta, Vice President of Ross & Associates, made thissimple yet profound statement in an article about GIS inthe Computer World news. This quote is important fortwo reasons: 1) it conveys the essence of whatGeographic Information Systems (GIS) technology isall about, and 2) this quote was in an InformationTechnology (IT) magazine. Those of us working withGIS understand the importance of location to govern-ment processes. Ms. Tosta is right, everything doeshappen somewhere and it is spatially related tonumerous other activities. It also shines a light on GISfor the IT community. IT professionals are beginning totake notice of GIS and its impact on business functions.
Information Technology professionals werefocused on moving data from one place to anothermore quickly and efficiently for greater access. Nothought was given to the data itself. GIS professionalsare focused on the data – its completeness, accuracyand currency. These three issues are solelydepenedent upon the spatial application we are trying tosupport. Because of these differing perspectives, ITand GIS folks have had difficulties in communicatingthe needs and requirements for GIS. The fact that Ms.Tosta’s article was in Computer World indicates that theIT community is beginning to recognize GIS technol-ogy and GIS is recognizing the need for morestructured IT procedures. This is a promising sign ofthings to come. The long waited merging of IT and GISis beginning.
This recognition of GIS and its potential can beseen in a number of ways in Ohio. More and morestate agencies and local governments are researchingthe use and implementation of GIS. An indicator of thishas been the widespread participation and attendancein GIS related activities in Ohio. A few of the OGRIPsponsored educational venues this fiscal year areidentified below:
The 10th Annual Ohio GIS Conference, held in
September of 2000 was again a big success. Theconference content keeps getting better each year. Thisyear over 600 individuals attended the conferenceincluding 37 vendor exhibits. The keynote speakerwas none other than Nancy Tosta. Ms. Tosta’spresentation focused on GIS and its uses andreminded the audience how far we have come in thepast 10 years. A wide range of elected officials,including county auditors, commissioners andengineers attended the conference. This increasedinvolvement from Ohio’s elected officials demonstratesthe educational value of the conference and the growingcommitment to improving government functionsthrough the use of GIS technology.
The County Engineers Association of Ohio,County Auditor’s Association of Ohio and OGRIPsponsored the first Ohio County Tax MappingConference in May of 2001. The conference focusedon tax mapping and its importance to county officialsand the private sector. The purpose of the conferencewas to provide a better understanding of the processand purpose of tax mapping. There was a little GISthrown in but tax maps and tax mapping took center
stage. The anticipated attendance was 60 to 80 peopleso the program format was developed to engage theaudience in discussions regarding the numerousissues associated with tax mapping in the newmillennium. The actual response was somewhatoverwhelming with over 195 people attending withrepresentation from 66 counties. The last session wasa two-hour spirited discussion facilitated by FredWachtel, Coshocton County Engineer. This sessionwas entitled Discrepancies: Gaps, Overlaps andThings That Go Bump in the Night. Tax mappersacross the state shared their experiences on how theyhandled complicated and challenging discrepancies ontax maps and deeds. Due to the favorable responseand comments on the conference, it was determinedthat this conference will become an annual event.
In support of NASA and OhioView objectives,OGRIP and the GIS Support Center organized andconducted three Satellite Imagery workshopstargeted at specific user communities to educateprospective users about OhioView, satellite imagery
Successes/Initiatives
In May, OGRIP co-sponsored the first Ohio County Tax Mapping
Conference iwith the County Engineers Association of Ohio and theCounty Auditor’s Association of Ohio. There were over 195 people in
attendance representing 66 of Ohio’s 88 counties. The conferencefocused on tax mapping and its importance to county officials and the
private sector. Tax mappers from across the state shared their experi-ences on how they handled complicated and challenging discrepan-
cies on tax maps and deeds. Due to the favorable response of thisfirst Tax Mapping Conference, the Conference will become an annual
event.
(continued on page 4)
Executive Director Reportby Stuart R. DavisOGRIP Executive Director
Administrative Support......................... $27,584.42Cost Benefit Analysis....................... $281,075.00Geodetic Program Plan......................... $43,780.00
Total....................... $352,439.42
Future Directionby Stuart R. DavisOGRIP Executive Director
The difficulty in managing growth and associated county land activities is why over70 counties in Ohio have an expressed interest in GIS technology. The need and useof GIS can be seen on the front of this annual report. These two digital ortho imagesfrom Delaware County readily identify the changes in the land over 4 years. This isaugmented with a digital centerline that is current and up to date. Keeping up withchanges and maintenance of Ohio’s land records is one reason the Auditors andEngineers are investing in GIS. We must ensure that GIS requirements are not toonarrowly defined and address more than one organization. As in Delaware County,considering the needs of others creates a usable information infrastructure, increasingdata sharing efficiencies, compatibility and interoperability.
Just like state and local governments, citizens and businesses have demands formulti-jurisdictional spatial data. Land title searchers track land ownership recordsfrom county to county and jurisdiction to jurisdictions. Utilities must build and maintainnetworks that extend over many jurisdictions. Engineering firms, banks, real estate andinsurance companies, development firms all use spatial data, from many jurisdictionson a daily basis. As a result, citizens and businesses must also contend with the costlyinefficiencies of work with inconsistent or incomplete data as they move from localgovernment jurisdiction to local government jurisdiction.
However, there must be a base or foundation of information to apply this analysistoward. To create this solid foundation, state and local government need to pulltogether and support each other’s efforts. The establishment of a consistent founda-tion for efficient development of spatial data, applications, products and services iscritical to our future. This foundation will create a statewide information network that
(Future Direction continuedon page 5)
Once again, OGRIP cosponsored the 2001Ohio GIS Conference. The conference was asuccess hosting over 600 attendees including 37vendors. This year’s speakers were exceptional
and provided a wealth of insight regarding spatialdata and geographic information systems. Asalways, special thanks goes to the CountyEngineers Association of Ohio, without whom,
Plan that calls for the establishment of the first compo-
nent of a comprehensive
spatial data framework for
Ohio (see figure to the side).
Geodetic control allows spatial
data to be tied to real world
coordinates and provides a
foundation for all future spatial
data development.
Executive DirectorReport (cont.)by Stuart R. DavisOGRIP Executive Director
and current and potential uses of remotesensing. These free workshops attracted avariety of users with varying backgrounds.Fifty-eight (58) individuals from federal, state,regional, county, municipal government,academia and the private sector participated inthese workshops. John C. Antenucci,President, and Sheldon Piepenburg, ExecutiveConsultant of PlanGraphics, Inc., provided anoverview of the satellite imagery and explainedkey concepts and the vocabulary used in theremote sensing community. William S.Burgess, Program Manager, GIS Division,Chesapeake & Coastal Watershed Service forthe Maryland Department of Natural Resourcesfocused on how satellite imagery was beingused across the United States to support alllevels of government in accomplishing theiroperations. The final presentation by Dr. JoelMorrison, Director for The Ohio State Univer-sity Center for Mapping, addressed theintegration of vector data sets to provide morevalue to the end user. The findings andconclusions of these workshops can beaccessed at http://www.ohio.gov/ogrip/reports.htm and clicking on NASA GrantReport.
Street addressing is a critical issue formost GIS programs at all levels of government.For this reason, OGRIP sponsored an UrbanRegional Information Systems Association(URISA) certified workshop on Addressingand IS/GIS Implementation. The presenterwas Peirce Echelberger, a nationally recog-nized expert on this issue and a long time GISprofessional. Over 50 individuals from acrossOhio attended this free workshop representingall levels of government. Mr. Echelberger
covered the basic concepts for understandingthe importance of address issues in GISimplementation. It also covered addressinggrids, standards, GIS data models and codeenforcement issues. This workshop providedguidance for working with street centerline andstreet address files, geocoding and therelationships to Census Bureau data.
There were two major data licensingefforts to support Ohio and the state agenciesthis fiscal year. OGRIP licensed 10 meterSPOT Satellite Imagery for all of Ohio. Theacquisition of 10-meter satellite imagery tookfour years (1998 - 2001) to ensure completecoverage of Ohio due to a variety of reasons(cloud cover, ground fog, inclement weather,etc). This 10-meter satellite imagery wasdistributed to over 15 universities, 6 stateagencies and numerous local governments atno cost to the user through this licensingarrangement. This imagery is currentlyavailable through the GIS Support Center on
four CDs.OGRIP also acquired a statewide license
for Geographic Data Technology (GDT)DynaMap/Municipal Boundary dataset.This dataset depicts the most consistent andupdate municipal boundaries for use by stateagencies currently available. This information isbeing used to support five state agencies withtheir spatial applications.
In the fall of 2000, the State of Ohio retainedthe team of PlanGraphics/Booz Allen Hamiltonto determine whether the State could receive agreater return on its investment by managingspatial data activities differently than theapproach it was currently using. The SpatialData Management Cost Benefit AnalysisStudy involved twelve (12) state agencies andtook close to a year to complete. Participatingstate entities were the Departments of Adminis-trative Services (DAS), Commerce (ODC),Development, Health (ODH), Job and FamilyServices (JFS), Natural Resources (ODNR),
Public Safety (ODPS), Taxation, Transportation(DOT), Criminal Justice Services (OCJS),Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO)and Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA).
In general, the State of Ohio should expectto receive large benefits from implementing amore coordinated enterprise-wide approach tothe management of spatial data and GIS. Thisis due to several factors:
• Improved efficiency and decreasedexpenditures - Using an enterprise-wide approach, more agency staff,as well as others outside of stategovernment, will be able to useexisting and future data and GIS intheir activities.
• Building upon past investments -Leverage the costs previously spenton acquiring, installing or upgradinghardware, software and the commu-nications network allowing applica-
(continued on page 7)
Geodetic ControlGeodetic Control
Creation of Ohio’s Spatial Data Framework
Creation of Creation of Ohio’s Spatial Data Framework Ohio’s Spatial Data Framework
Digital imageryDigital imageryElevationElevation
BoundariesBoundaries
Hydrography Hydrography
TransportationTransportation
OGRIP 2001 Annual Report - 5
Cost BenefitCost Benefit
facilitates the cost effective sharing of expertise, applica-tions and best practices provides the impetus for stateand local governments to adopt uniform guidelines andstandards to produce significant savings for all spatialdata users - local, regional, and state government aswell as private sector.
Requirement definition activities and spatial dataneeds assessments include the identification of founda-tional layers. These foundational layers are in the formof the Ohio Framework Layers approved this year by theOGRIP Council. These were adopted from the NationalSpatial Data Infrastructure’s (NSDI) framework layersand have been endorsed for the state of Ohio. Inaddition, requirements and GIS spatial data needs forstate government will be identified through the CostBenefit Analysis OGRIP sponsored this year. Thisanalysis will identify and prioritize datasets for the state ofOhio as well as determine the most cost effective way toapproach this foundational subject for the state of Ohio.
Future Direction (cont.)by Stuart R. DavisOGRIP Executive Director
Financial OverviewGraph Depiction
Successes/Initiatives
To ensure and protect the state’s invest-
ment in spatial data, OGRIP initiated a CostBenefit Analysis study (CBA) to identifyopportunities to improve the efficiency ofspatial data development and management
within state government. This analysis willidentify ways for improving spatial datacollection, distribution and maintenance usinga more enterprise wide perspective, thus
saving taxpayer money. This effort is currentlyunderway with recommendations expected atthe end of this fiscal year .
Objective Overview
OGRIP has identified four major objectives withspecific initiatives that are supportive of all six ofOGRIP’s goals. These objectives are what dictateour actions and reactions regarding many situationsin the spatial related industry. A brief overview ofeach objective is below. The Successes/Initiativesboxes throughout the 2001 Annual Report focus ona few of the actions of OGRIP which have supportedthese objectives this year.
Increased Representation and InteractionOGRIP must continually pursue representation
of all sectors of government as well as nonprofit andprivate organizations in Ohio. It must also continueto increase interaction with entities that have animpact on the GIS community in Ohio.
OGRIP Clearinghouse EffortOGRIP will distribute and disseminate informa-
tion through formal clearinghouse activities throughthe Internet and other means. These activities serveas a foundation for future development and supportOhio as well as national initiatives.
GIS Education and AwarenessOGRIP must continue to educate Ohio on the
advantages and benefits of GIS technology. Wemust raise the awareness of GIS as a tool to supportpublic and private organizations in their relatedbusiness functions.
Support for GIS Development EffortsOGRIP must continue to identify external grants
and other funding mechanisms to support GISimplementation. This includes defining proceduresfor geospatial data development in consistent andreadily accessible formats. For more information,please access www.state.oh.us/ogrip/pdf/Fundingdoc_02.pdf.
OGRIP Clearinghouse Effort9%
Support for GIS Development Efforts48%
General Office Operations24%
Increased Representation & Interaction
7%
GIS Education & Awareness12%
OGRIP 2001 Annual Report - 6
NASA Funded Remote Sensing WorkshopNASA Funded Remote Sensing Workshop
Forum Outreach MeetingsForum Outreach Meetings
Successes/Initiatives
In support of the National Aeronautic and Space Administration (NASA) and OhioView objectives, OGRIP , in conjunction with the GIS Support Center,organized and conducted three workshops targeted at specific user communities to educate prospective users about OhioView, satellite imagery and currentand potential uses of remote sensing.
The results of these workshops were compiled and summarized in an official report. The summary of the workshops will assist in developing a descriptionand listing of imagery and hybrid (raster/vector) products deemed beneficial to state, multi-county (Regional Planners, Watershed, Nature Conservancy, Soils,etc.) and local (County, Township and Municipal) government. Potential products will be reviewed and analyzed to determine standard and custom productsbased upon available satellite imagery in 2001 and the promise of better resolution imagery in the future as well as the integration of vector spatial datasets.
This will assist NASA and OhioView in determining what products would be useful to support three levels of government and prepare these levels of govern-ment for the varied alternatives available to support their mandated functions.
Successes/Initiatives
As in the past, OGRIP has continued to have it’s Forum meetingsonce per month with excellent participation. Each meeting hasfeatured an educational topic related to spatial data and GIS. To
promote interaction from all sections of the state, OGRIP initiated twoForum Outreach meetings per calendar year. These meetings areheld in a non-central location in hopes that many GIS professionalswho are unable to travel to Columbus will be able to attend. The
meetings, held in Summit and Ross Counties respectively, were wellreceived and well attended this year.
Council Members Forum Officers Publication Listing• Bob Brinkman, Forum Chair• Lisa Swain, Forum Vice-Chair• Greg Rouse,
At-Large Representative• Joe Reichlin,
At-Large Representative• Gene Hinterschied, Forum Past Chair
• Stuart Davis, Council ChairOhio Department of Admin. Services
• David CreceliusOhio Department of Natural Resources
• Dave BlackstoneOhio Department of Transportation
• Barry BennettOhio Department of Development
• John AlbrechtOhio Environmental Protection Agency
• Barbara Curtiss, Fairfield County AuditorCounty Auditors Association
• Joseph Merritt, Clinton CountyCounty Commissioners Association
• Jim Nimz, Seneca County EngineerCounty Engineers Association
• Phil Honsey, City of GalionLisa Swain, City of ColumbusOhio Municipal League
• Jim Brosnahan, AEPPublic Utilities
• Dr. Mark Salling, Cleveland StateInstitutions of Higher Education
• Mike PaprockiOhio Assoc. of Regional Councils
• NASA Funded Remote Sensing Report
• 2000 Annual Report
• Ohio GIS Conference Program
• Ohio Framework Task Forces Document
• Geodetic Control Program Plan
• Tax Mapping Conference Materials
• Cost Benefit Analysis Study
• GIS Contacts Book
• Ohio Grant Activities
OGRIP 2001 Annual Report - 7
SPOT ImagerySPOT ImagerySuccesses/Initiatives
The OGRIP Office was directed by the OGRIP
Council to enter into a licensing agreement with SPOT
Image for 10-meter satellite imagery. This license allows
for the sharing and distribution of this 10-meter satellite
imagery covering all of Ohio for all state agencies and
departments, counties, municipalities, state universities
and public schools in Ohio free of charge. SPOT Image
delivered edge matched, geo-referenced and a specific
file formatted, 10-meter satellite imagery. It will be an
internet display only offering no ability to download or
screen capture but is available on CD. This is a very
exciting project for the state of Ohio and offers great
opportunities for future GIS development in Ohio.
Executive Director Report (cont.)tions related components to be implemented earlier.
• Reduced costs for spatial data management - Thelabor segment of the current operating costs is themost significant expenditure the state has thus far. Anenterprise-wide approach to spatial data managementprovides an opportunity to significantly reduce staffingand operating costs resulting in increased savings.
• Improved accuracy and quality of spatial information -Significant future savings will be realized by theutilization of accurate data sets and GIS layers thatalready exist and are consistent with the state’s needsrather than having each state agency recreate the“spatial data” wheel.
Recommendations from the Spatial Data ManagementCost Benefit Analysis were focused on six areas:
• Developing spatial data standards for use throughoutthe State
• Completing development of the Ohio framework as it iscurrently envisioned
• Expanding the current framework definition to includenew framework components
• Preparing expanded metadata so that information onspatial data sets, maps, and drawings will be locatablethrough a spatial data clearinghouse
• Creating a virtual spatial data clearinghouse to allowprospective users of spatial data and GIS to discoverand access information
• Pursuing a significant new collaborative initiative withOhio’s local governments to develop several higherresolution data sets
OGRIP, the state’s coordinating entity for spatial data andGIS, was identified as the lead to implement the comprehensivespatial data management program to promote data exchangeand collaboration. While OGRIP will work primarily with other
State agencies, it will also promote participation in the virtualclearinghouse and provide incentive assistance to localgovernments.
OGRIP is excited about the future and the potential impact ofthe above recommendations. OGRIP has been discussing thepossibilities of vertical integration through partnering with localgovernment for some time. Vertical Integration of spatialinformation can be describe simply as “Capture it Once, Use ita Bunch.” The most detailed geographic information is beingcaptured at the local government level. Vertical integrationproposes to leverage local government efforts in support of stateand federal efforts. This creates a mechanism for state andfederal government to financially support the spatial data activitiesat the local level, providing benefit to all levels of government. Inthis way, we maximize taxpayer investment and the use oftaxpayer dollars.
To support the concept of vertical integration, OGRIP willbegin the development of statewide Task Forces focused onspatial data creation and data sharing as the first step in anintegrated solution for State and Local government in Ohio.
Federal Level AppsPrograms Regional multi -state Minimum AttributesLow ResolutionLeast $$
Coarse Detail
Federal Level AppsPrograms Regional multi -state Minimum AttributesLow ResolutionLeast $$
Federal Level AppsPrograms Regional multi -state Minimum AttributesLow ResolutionLeast $$
Federal Level AppsPrograms Regional multi -state Minimum AttributesLow ResolutionLeast $$
Coarse Detail
More detailed dataMore detailed dataLocal Level AppsServe People Multi -Neighborhood More AttributesHigher ResolutionMost (BIG) $$
More detailed dataMore detailed dataMore detailed dataMore detailed dataLocal Level AppsServe People Multi -Neighborhood More AttributesHigher ResolutionMost (BIG) $$
Local Level AppsServe People Multi -Neighborhood More AttributesHigher ResolutionMost (BIG) $$
Less detailed data
State Level AppsState & Federal Programs Multi -County Multi -StateLess AttributesLower ResolutionMore $$
Less detailed dataLess detailed data
State Level AppsState & Federal Programs Multi -County Multi -StateLess AttributesLower ResolutionMore $$
State Level AppsState & Federal Programs Multi -County Multi -StateLess AttributesLower ResolutionMore $$
IInntteeggrraattiioonn
(previously defined in the FY00Annual Report)
Stuart R. DavisOGRIP ExecutiveDirector10-meter SPOT Satellite Image
OGRIP 2001 Annual Report - 8
Municipal BoundariesMunicipal Boundaries
Label
GRIPOhio Department of Administrative ServicesComputer Services Division77 S. High Street, 19th FloorColumbus, OH 43215
Ohio Geograph ica l ly Re ferenced In format ion Program
Successes/Initiatives
OGRIP entered into an agreement between Geographic Data
Technology (GDT) for the GDT DynaMap/Municipal Boundary
dataset with quarterly updates and will be licensing this database
for unlimited usage by State of Ohio Agencies.
This dataset will be used by multiple agencies including DAS/
OGRIP, Public Safety, Transportation, and the Department of
Health. This dataset will provide the State of Ohio with an up-to-
date municipal boundary database for use in Geographic Informa-
tion Systems, spatial analysis, and mapping. It is an excellent
