GIS & City of Elgin Maps

Uses of GIS

User need assessment studies have indicated that approximately 90% of the decisions made by city and county governments are related to geography, and thus geographic information systems (GIS) are very suitable tools for use in such agencies. Choosing sites, targeting market segments, responding to emergencies, or changing boundaries are some uses of GIS.

Benefits of GIS

In one way or another, GIS helps answer questions and solve problems by looking at data geographically and in a way that is understood and easily shared. GIS analysis can result in better decision making by looking at what kinds of patterns or relationships may exist and visualizing these through maps, charts and reports. Nearly every city department uses GIS to support its day-to-day operations.

Elgin GIS

The City began using GIS in the late 1990’s. The GIS division under the IT Department creates, collects, maintains and updates around 305 geospatial data layers (feature classes) for an area roughly 38 square miles. The GIS division also administers and operates GIS software technology (ESRI suite of products including ArcGIS for Desktop ArcMap, ArcCatalog, & ArcGIS Enterprise). The GIS division also administer’ s two map viewers, one is Vantage Points by GTG which is an internal GIS viewer tool with multiple base-map options in which our GIS data is feed to the viewer for functions ranging from searching, identifying, selecting, exporting to Excel for reporting as well as direct links to laserfiche. The second map viewer is MapAnything which is software that allows visualization of asset’s, territories, routes and customers all within a map in Salesforce. This would allow scheduling and work orders on all the city’s assets. The GIS department in addition produces digital & hard copy maps for staff, other governmental agencies and the general public.