Maine GeoLibrary Board Forums Provided as part of the Board’s Strategic Planning & Integrated Land Records Project

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company2 Forums ► Locations: Auburn, Augusta (State Agencies), Bangor, South Portland ► 130 Attendees  Federal government agencies  State government agencies  County deeds registries  County emergency management agencies  Municipal assessors and other officials  Regional councils of government  Non government agencies  Commercial interests  Educational interests  Interested citizens

Core Issues and Needs Expressed

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company4 Data ► Better and more transparent access to data ► More frequent and automatic notification of changes and updates ► Easier services for generating and understanding metadata ► Expansion of the parcel grants program ► More frequent and accurate aerial imagery

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company5 Training & Access ► Accessible services and/or staff dedicated to exposing data and services to novice users ► Specific training for underexposed stakeholders: deeds registries, legislators ► Dedicated regional service centers providing walk in services ► More educational programs for communities ► Development of more targeted and easy to use web applications

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company6 Coordination & Sharing ► Better data sharing between state agencies ► Better data sharing and consistency between municipalities and the LURC townships ► Active efforts to collaborate between municipalities and counties around land records standardization ► Fuller utilization of growing capabilities within the educational sector for data development and distribution ► Standards development for additional layers – easements especially – to allow these to be collected and shared

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company7 Communication ► Better utilization of online resources to ask questions of the Maine GIS users community and get specific answers ► More awareness of GeoLibrary activities ► Fuller awareness of grant opportunities and grants that have been awarded ► More complete ongoing awareness of regionalized land records data initiatives

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company8 GIS Software & Support ► Closer examination of enterprise/bulk licensing of commercial software to maximize access to functionality by greatest number of users ► Better use of web-based mapping software and services (Google Earth, Maps, Microsoft Virtual Earth/Live Local) to distribute and access complex GIS data

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company9 Integrated Land Records Information System ► A statewide system will involve deeper collaboration between County Registries of Deeds and Municipal Assessors ► A unique parcel identifier would provide considerable benefits to government and the private sector stakeholders ► Serious concerns exist regarding parcel geometry data quality ► Privacy of landowner information is a concern, more intensely felt in the north than in the populated southern part of the state ► Benefits may be derived from leveraging existing high quality data resources at the Deeds Registries and integrating these more fully with GIS data

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company10 Integrated Land Records Information System ► Legislation to require electronic submittal of plans and surveys would present a significant opportunity for integration with the GIS community ► Funding opportunities based on permitting surcharges at the local level seem to offer more potential than transfer tax additions at the county level ► More fundamental integration of GIS data (parcels with wetlands, flood zones, shore land zones, vernal pools, etc) will cement the utility of these data as a reference standard and improve quality and efficiency of permitting and regulation

Maine GeoLibrary Board 2008 Survey Report Developed as part of the Board’s Strategic Planning & Integrated Land Records Project

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company12 Background ► Purpose:  Solicit input for Strategic Planning and Integrated Land Records Information System Project ► Obtain wide variety of users ► Reduce constraints of geographic boundaries ► Time frame: April 23-June 4, 2008 ► Response:  Excellent – 245 respondents  Wide variety

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company13 Respondents

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company14 Government Sector Respondents ► 54% Municipal ► 28% State ► 10% Federal (14) ► 5% County ► 3% Regional

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company15 GIS Roles

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company16 Issues Solved by GIS

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company17 Sustainable Funding Sources ► 18% General State Funding ► 17% Cost sharing between state and municipal governments ► 15% Real estate transfer tax ► 6% E-911 surcharge ► 3% Bond issue Note – 33% did not know

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company18 Suggested Champions ► 9% Legislators ► 8% Current or future Governor ► 7% Angus King ► 4% Mike Smith (ME GIS Office) ► 2% Dick Thompson (State CIO) ► 1% Dan Walters (USGS Liaison) Note – 46% did not know

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company19 Helpful Statewide Applications Not Currently Available in Maine ► 42% Integrated Tax Parcel Mapping Service ► 21% Web mapping services ► 8% Geo-coding service

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company20 ActionRanking Provide updated Digital Orthoimagery.1 Provide web mapping services for local and statewide data.2 Provide integrated land records information.3 Provide shared GIS services or regional service centers.4 Provide technical support (i.e. Help Desk) for current GIS operations.5 Provide other updated data.6 Provide training or self-educational materials (i.e. GIS starter kits) for geospatial technologies.7 Provide procurement support for geospatial technology or services (i.e. Term Service Contracts for GIS Services).8 Improve communication to allow GIS users the ability to stay in touch with GIS related issues, activities and opportunities around the state. 9 Provide access to the “geospatial lessons learned” by others.10 Actions to Improve GIS Coordination

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company21 Short Term Implementable Actions ► Updated imagery & imagery delivery mechanisms ► Improve data development, inventorying, access, and delivery (desire for better access to state and local data) ► Provide training ► Initiate an integrated land records information system

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company22 Short Term Implementable Actions ► Improve Board communication & coordination  Keeping website up-to-date  Consistently using a list serve ► Conduct a comprehensive campaign for GIS awareness and funding ► Provide shared GIS services or regional GIS centers ► Deliver a geo-portal

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company23 Is It Time For An Integrated Land Records Information System? ► 77% of respondents use parcel data ► 89% of parcel data users, use digital parcel data ► 42% use parcel data from more than one county

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company24 Use of Parcel Data

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company25 Professional Requirements for Easy Access to Parcel Data ► E-911 dispatching ► Emergency Management ► Regulation/permitting ► Planning ► Law enforcement ► Mutual aid response to fires ► Surveying ► Assessing

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company26 Parcel Data Sales ► 47% Distribute parcel data at no cost ► 12% Distribute data with a 1 time fee for all parcels ► 8% Distribute parcel data at a per parcel fee ► 62% Obtained less than $1,000/year from sales of parcel data ► Only 13% do not distribute parcel data

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company27 Distribution of Parcel Data ► 41% of government responders have parcel data on-line already ► 42% of respondents utilize web-based document access of County deed data ► Only 1% of respondents do not have access to high speed broadband for data download ► 36% use Google Earth vs. 35% ESRI for mapping tools

June 26, 2008© James W. Sewall Company28 Benefits of an On-Line ILRIS ► Savings of time and cost to those accessing data ► Savings of resources and ability to do other important duties for those providing data ► “Other”  Transparency in government  Reduction in gas use and carbon emissions  Improved quality of data