HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0864.000 1998-2000
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G.A. Rock
Stephen K. Yamashiro Data Prsszg Manager
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County of Hawaii
DEPARTMENT OF DATA SYSTEMS
25 Aupuni Street, Room 102 • Hilo, Hawaii 96720-4252
(808) 961-8207 • Fax (808) 961-8453
DATE: July 24, 2000
TO: Bobby Jean Leithead-Todd, Chair
Committee on Planning
FROM: G.A. Rock, Data Systems Director
SUBJECT: Geographic Information Systems Plan
Data Systems Department recently completed its Geographic Information Systems Plan. This
plan establishes the overall need for GIS in County government operations, the role Data
Systems Department will play in the County's overall GIS program, short-term objectives, and
long range goals.
Will Freeman, Data Systems Department's GIS analyst, and I wish to make a brief
presentation to the County Planning Committee regarding the plan. We also will inform the
committee members of the GIS work completed in recent months and project work scheduled
through the end of the year. If possible, we would like this presentation placed on the
Committee on Planning agenda for the meeting scheduled on August 22.
Enclosed are fifteen copies of the plan for distribution within your committee and staff. The
Executive Summary (pages 1-5) provides a good overview. The Project Timeline (page 26)
shows the GIS projects slated for completion over the next two years. Appendix A includes
substantial background material regarding the GIS needs of specific County departments and
agencies. Of note, Appendix C contains an excellent GIS primer for those who would like
more fully understand GIS concepts.
Thank you for your consideration.
NOTE: ATTACHMENT IS ON FILE
IN THE CLERK"S OFFICE
Comm. No.
File No.
M.B. No.
Date: JUL 4 2000
GEOGRAPH/C lwom A T/ON
SYSTEM (CIS) PLAN
~tV of M,
art Of Nf'~
June 2000
Prepared by: Will Freeman, Geographic Information Systems Analyst
Data Systems Department
County of Hawaii
Data Systems Department
25 Aupuni St, Room 102
Hilo, Hawaii 96820
Phone: (808) 961-8207
Data Systems Department GIs Plan
Table of Contents
Page
Table of Contents ii
List of Figures and Tables IV
GIS Plan
Executive Summary .............................................................................................................1
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................6
The Need for a GIS Plan .................................................................................................6
Coordination of County Geographic Information System (GIS) Activities ...................7
Structure of the GIS Plan ................................................................................................7
Needs Assessment - Summary of County GIS Activities and Needs ...................................9
Purpose of the Needs Assessment ...................................................................................9
Summary of Needs Assessment ......................................................................................9
Analysis and Conclusions ...................................................................................................14
Overall Roles and Responsibilities of the GIS Support Program ..................................15
Long-Range Goals for the County GIS Program ...........................................................15
Initial Objectives for the County GIS Program .............................................................16
Current Activities of the Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program ...............17
Data Availability ..................................................................................................................21
GIS Base Layers ............................................................................................................21
GIS Layers and Databases from Hawaii County Agencies ...........................................21
Projects Timeline .................................................................................................................26
Appendices
Appendix A. Current and Planned GIS Activities and Needs, by County Agency 28
Civil Defense Agency ....................................................................................................29
County Clerk's Office (Elections Division) ..................................................................30
Finance Department (Accounts and Real Property Tax Divisions) ...............................31
Fire Department .............................................................................................................33
Liquor Control Department ............................................................................................35
Office of Housing and Community Development .........................................................36
Parks and Recreation Department ..................................................................................37
Planning Department .....................................................................................................39
Police Department ..........................................................................................................41
Public Works Department (Building, Engineering, and Wastewater Divisions) 43
Research and Development Department ........................................................................45
Water Department ..........................................................................................................47
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Appendices (continued)
Appendix B. "Project Impact" Proposal Summary .............................................................48
Projects Managed by Data Systems Department ...........................................................48
Projects Proposed or Managed by other Organizations .................................................49
Appendix C. GIS Concepts .................................................................................................50
What is GIS? ..................................................................................................................50
The Structure of GIS Data .............................................................................................51
Some Uses of GIS ..........................................................................................................55
Map Parameters .............................................................................................................57
GIS Related Web Sites ...................................................................................................62
Additional Reading ........................................................................................................63
Appendix D. Short Glossary of GIS Terms ........................................................................64
Page iii
Data Systems Department CIS Plan
List of Figures and Tables
Figures Page
Figure A-1. A vector line GIS layer for roads, displaying 14 roads segments as 3
road types 52
Figure A-2. Equivalent vector and raster data layers for example land use districts 53
Figure A-3. 3-Dimensional surface created using a raster layer for surface elevation 53
Figure A-4. Overlain GIS layers (with layer type) for the same locale 54
Figure A-5. "Projecting" latitude and longitude lines from a glass globe
to a flat piece of paper 58
Tables
Table 1. Summary of County agency GIS activities and needs .......................................11
Table 2. GIS base layer availability for Hawaii County ..................................................22
Table 3. Hawaii County agency GIS and database availability 25
Table 4. GIS projects timeline .........................................................................................26
Table A-1. Central latitude and longitude parameters for Hawaii's 5 State Plane
Coordinate System zones 59
Table A-2. GIS-related Web sites ....................................................................................62
Page iv
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Executive Summary
The GIS Plan
This GIS Plan is a working document composed both long term strategy goals and
short-term implementation objectives. At present, this plan reviews the current GIS
capabilities and needs of most County agencies, and sets some of the initial long-range
program goals and short-range implementation goals and objectives for a countywide GIS
Program. The initial long-range goals set in the plan are for the program to provide a fully
networked, fully accessible GIS database with GIS applications sufficient to meet the needs
of all agencies within five years. The plan further proposes a process to refine, as needed, the
long-range program goals and objectives to insure the implementation of a stable countywide
GIS Program and an on-going implementation process that will best meet the needs of all
County agencies.
Coordination of County Geographic Information System (GIS) Activities
The Data Systems Department (DSD) is coordinating Geographic Information
System (GIS) activities for Hawaii County government agencies. As a part of the initial
coordinating role of the Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program, a GIS Planning
Group will be assembled consisting of representatives of County agencies that will be using
GIS. One purpose of the planning group will be to assist in more completely defining the
short-term and long-term goals and objective of the County's GIS Program.
County Agency GIS Needs Assessment
In the course of developing this GIS Plan, about a dozen County agencies were
interviewed with respect to their current and future needs in using GIS. This "needs
assessment" showed that County agencies differ greatly in their GIS needs and uses, but all
agencies interviewed had needs for GIS data and/or applications in some form. Several
departments are already utilizing full-fledged GIS systems and will continue to use them.
Agencies that did not already have GIS systems did not express any interests in acquiring
full-blown GIS systems. However, almost all other agencies envisioned uses for specific
GIS applications and/or specific types of maps developed using GIS. There are several
agencies that would apparently benefit from some sort of specific GIS applications tailored to
their needs, but did not perceive more than minor potential uses of GIS at this time.
Agencies that already have existing GIS systems in place expressed general needs for
acquiring GIS data layers, sharing of GIS data layers between agencies, and a countywide
network to enable data sharing. Most other agencies expressed the need for specific GIS
applications tailored to their specific day-to-day needs. Requests for GIS applications range
from a database-linked query application allowing for search of landowners and mailing
addresses with 500 ft. of a potential liquor license site to applications with spatial analysis
capabilities to find the closest flat place to land a helicopter in the case of a natural disaster.
Page 1
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
There are various obstacles to implementing GIS programs within County agencies.
None of these obstacles are insurmountable, but some may take some time and/or money to
alleviate. These obstacles include needed GIS data layers, a countywide network to share
data between agencies, staff and resources to create and maintain data layers and/or
databases, and training and education in GIS.
Overall Roles and Responsibilities of the Data Systems Department
The Data Systems Department is the County GIS Coordinator. In that role, the Data
Systems Department's GIS Support Program will:
? plan, implement, and coordinate programs and projects that address the common
GIS needs and issues for all County agencies;
? provide guidance and technical support to County agencies with existing GIS
systems;
? provide GIS capabilities and support to County agencies that do not yet have GIS
systems; and
? develop a centralized County-wide GIS database (a data storehouse) that can be
shared by all County agencies.
Long-Range Goals of the County GIS Program
The Data Systems Department has set these initial long-range goals for the County
GIS Program:
Within five years, the County of Hawaii should have a fully coordinated GIS program
in which critical GIS data layers, both of general and special use, are available and being
maintained in an up-to-date manner. The data, though originating from one department or
agency, shall be made available to all County departments and agencies as needed for use in
GIS projects and analysis. Data Systems Department will continue to serve as the
coordinating body to facilitate the sharing of GIS data, resources, and expertise among all
County organizations. In addition, GIS applications development and programming services
will be provided to County departments and organizations.
Initial Roles and Objectives for the GIS Support Program
Short-Term Goals and Objectives
Based on the GIS needs expressed by County agencies, the initial roles and
responsibilities of the Data Systems Department GIS Support Program should, in most
respects, be similar to the data and computer systems support roles of the Data Systems
Department as a whole. The are many GIS roles and responsibilities for DSD's GIS Support
Program, including both countywide GIS coordination responsibilities for the County GIS
effort as a whole and GIS support and development responsibilities tailored to individual
agency needs.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Countywide GIS Coordination - The GIS Support Program provided by the Data
Systems Department should:
1. Chair and Coordinate a Countywide GIS Planning Group - This group would act
as a forum to deal with GIS issues that effect the county as a whole, assist in
building a long-term countywide GIS strategy, and would help prioritize
implementation aspects of the GIS Plan and long-term strategy issues.
2. Develop and Maintain Background GIS Data Layers - The GIS Support Program
should develop and maintain various base and background GIS data layers
that would be used by all agencies. These layers would act as a common data
set to insure that all agencies are "on the same page."
3. Be a GIS Data Storehouse - The GIS Support Program should store all completed
GIS layers on a common server. This data would include all background and
base layers as well as all layers completed by county agencies. The data
storehouse would be available to all agencies via local area network (LAN)
connections to the common server.
4. Provide GIS Training and Education - The GIS Support program should provide
training in the basics of GIS, GIS for managers, and different uses of GIS in
municipal government. Classes could also be offered for specific GIS
software applications such ArcView, ArcExplorer, and GIS applications
developed by the GIS Support Program.
GIS Support and Development - The GIS Support Program provided by the Data
Systems Department should provide:
1. GIS Support Services - These GIS support services should include those that are
too cumbersome, expensive, or inefficient for agencies to do individually.
Such services may include making wall maps, digitizing maps and GIS layer
data development, assisting in developing specifications and assessing needs
for GIS software and hardware, and general in-house GIS "consulting"
services such as technical support for existing GIS activities.
2. GIS Application Development Services - DSD presently develops and supports
computer applications to accommodate the data processing needs of many
agencies. The GIS Support Program can likewise develop Windows-based
GIS applications to support agency and general purpose needs including basic
multi-layer query applications, GIS-linked relational database applications,
and GIS spatial analysis applications. However, due to limited staff resources
at this time, development services can only be done on a time-available basis.
DSD can also assist County agencies with contracting special GIS projects
with outside vendors.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Current Activities of the GIS Support Program
Given the discussions and feedback from County agencies, it was clear that there was
a overall consensus on several specific needs. These projects and activities could be
implemented immediately and would be beneficial to a wide variety of agencies and future
projects regardless of the result of discussions on longer-term goals and objectives. The GIS
Support Program is currently undertaking these projects:
Acquisition of TMK Parcel GIS Layer - The most requested GIS data layer was a
TMK parcel data layer. Several possible alternatives were investigated to acquire or develop
a TMK parcel data layer, including developing a product in-house or through a vendor
contract, or use one of several existing products from the State Office of Planning, HELCO,
and a local vendor. Given these options, the most cost effective and expedient alternative is
the product currently available from a local vendor. From discussions and meetings with
interested county agencies, the Data Systems Department drafted a set of requirements,
which were submitted to the vendor for negotiating a license agreement to use their product.
TMK - Address Matching Project - The second most requested source data was street
addresses for TMK parcels. This information is vital for address/location verification or any
search or project where residents within a specified radius of a location need to be informed
of land use or other applications. The Data Systems Department is currently working with
Department of Public Works, Building Division to develop a Microsoft Access database
application and a data entry process to complete the initial data entry of street addresses from
the roughly 2200 TMK maps.
GIS Planning Group - Each interested agency will be invited to send a representative
to a GIS Planning Group. The initial objectives of the GIS Planning Group will be to:
1. develop short-range and long-range GIS goals and objectives;
2. agree on countywide GIS standards (projection, coordinate system, etc.);
3. assist in prioritizing the County GIS needs that will be addressed by DSD's GIS
Support Program;
4. provide a forum for coordination of GIS efforts between agencies.
5. begin policy discussions on potential public-private data sharing arrangements
with entities such as HELCO, GTE, and MLS Hawaii and policies on how to
distribute digital data in response to public information requests; and
6. prioritize GIS program planning and funding issues to meet short-term and long-
term GIS objectives.
Project Impact - "Project Impact" is a federally-funded program to provide assistance
to municipal governments to prepare for natural disasters and related emergencies, such as
tsunamis, floods, hurricanes, wildland fires, earthquakes, etc. Hawaii County has received
approximately $500,000 in Project Impact funding. Several of the GIS projects requested by
County agencies are appropriate for Project Impact funding. The Data Systems Department
has prepared a proposal for GIS-related Project Impact projects to be implemented during
2000 and 2001. It is anticipated that a portion of this funding will provide the initial
hardware and software requirements to complete these Project Impact projects and help to
provide the basic infrastructure for the GIS Support Program as a whole.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Initial GIS Training - Several initial GIS training and information sessions are being
planned. This training will provide an overview of GIS topics focused on assisting County
personnel understand what GIS can do and how GIS is being used elsewhere in municipal
governments. Initially, training topics will be expanded versions of the topics outlined in
"Appendix C: GIS Concepts":
1. GIS Concepts;
2. GIS data and attribute database structure; and
3. GIS as used in municipal government agencies (and related uses).
Page 5
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Introduction
The Need for a GIS Plan
Hawaii County has been in the process of developing GIS capabilities for County
agencies for most of the 1990's. In this time frame, GIS has been used and/or is being used
by the Water Department, Planning Department, Police Department, Fire Department, Office
of Housing and Community Development, and the Elections Division of the County Clerk's
Office. In general, the current implementation of GIS in the County has evolved from the
needs of individual agencies. All of the GIS systems currently operate as stand-alone
systems and use different and often incompatible software packages. These systems were
developed or acquired over time through a variety of means in order to meet individual
agency needs at those times and were not originally conceived as pieces of a larger GIS
program. The result is that these GIS systems are very useful for the agencies in which they
were developed, but the GIS information and databases in these systems can not easily be
used by other GIS systems in the County. The separation of these individual GIS systems
has lead both to duplication of some data development efforts and the inability to coordinate
efforts to address the GIS needs of the County as a whole.
Further, GIS implementation in County agencies has been uneven and often driven
simply by the funding abilities or limitations of the individual agencies. This has allowed
some agencies to develop GIS programs to meet their needs and has left many other agencies
with GIS needs but no available GIS system or guidance to assist in assessing or meeting
those GIS needs.
Given the current implementation of GIS efforts in the County, it is now clear that a
coordinated countywide GIS effort that utilizes and builds on existing GIS efforts, would
greatly benefit all County agencies and the County as a whole. This GIS Plan and on-going
GIS planning processes are the first steps to building a needed countywide GIS program.
The potential benefits of a coordinated countywide GIS Program include overall cost
savings, time savings, increased levels of service and efficiency of day-to-day County
operations, and the ability to accomplish tasks collectively that could not have been done
individually. These benefits would result from:
1. Non-duplication of GIS data development efforts by coordination and sharing of
GIS data layers between agencies;
2. Coordination of standards to ensure data compatibility between GIS systems;
3. Assisting in developing appropriate uses of GIS in agencies not yet using GIS;
4. Coordination of capital improvement project (CIP) planning and daily operations
between County agencies; and
5. Providing the public with better, more timely, and more useful information.
This GIS Plan is a working document composed both long term strategy goals and
short-term implementation objectives. At present, this plan reviews the current GIS
capabilities and needs of most County agencies, and sets some of the initial long-range
Page 6
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
program goals and short-range implementation goals and objectives for a countywide GIS
Program. The initial long-range goals set in the plan are for the program to provide a fully
networked, fully accessible GIS database with GIS applications sufficient to meet the needs
of all agencies within five years. The plan further proposes a process to refine, as needed, the
long-range program goals and objectives to insure the implementation of a stable countywide
GIS Program and an on-going implementation process that will best meet the needs of all
County agencies.
Coordination and Support of County Geographic Information System (GIS) Activities
The Data Systems Department (DSD) is coordinating Geographic Information
System (GIS) activities for Hawaii County government agencies. As a part of the initial
coordinating role of the Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program, a GIS Planning
Group will be assembled consisting of representatives of all interested County agencies. The
group will assist in more completely defining the GIS coordinating roles and responsibilities
of the Data Systems Department GIS Support Program, and implement and coordinate short-
term and long-term goals and priorities.
Data Systems Department's responsibilities for the GIS Support Program will be
similar to its responsibilities in the data processing area. The Data Systems Department
provides data processing, applications, training and other computer services in order that
other agencies can do their jobs more effectively. This responsibility necessarily involves
working closely with County agencies as needed. Agencies express their needs for given
data processing or computer tasks, DSD provides analysis and suggestions for alternatives
for accomplishing those goals, and then takes the leadership role for developing and
maintaining data processing activities or applications necessary to carry out the given tasks.
The Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program will provide similar coordination and
support functions for countywide GIS support.
Structure of the GIS Plan
The GIS Plan is divided into two sections; the GIS Plan components, and a set of
supporting appendices that provide reference materials to assist the reader in reviewing the
GIS Plan materials:
GIS Plan Components
Needs Assessment - Summary of GIS Activities and Needs, by County Agency - The
detailed GIS activities and needs information from individual agencies (see Appendix A) is
compiled and summarized into a description of the direction in the use GIS in County
agencies, GIS data and application needs, and potential obstacles to meeting agency GIS
objectives.
Analysis and Conclusions - A proposed strategy to meet existing short-range agency
GIS needs is outlined. Using the outlined strategy as a blueprint, proposed initial roles and
responsibilities of the Data Systems Department GIS Support Program are outlined to meet
those needs, implement short-range goals and objectives, and implement and refine long-
Page 7
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
range countywide GIS goals. The current activities and projects of the GIS Support Program
are also described.
Data Availability - Data layer development and/or licensing can be the most costly
and time-consuming aspects in developing a GIS program or application. Therefore data
availability is one of the most crucial factors in deciding if and what GIS project to
undertake. Several tables show the availability of GIS data layers and related databases.
These data layers will help provide the basis for both initial agency projects and setting goals
for further data development.
Project Timeline - This section shows a proposed schedule and timeline for
completing GIS projects for approximately the next 2 years. The table lists current projects
of the GIS Support Program, projects from other County agencies, and other GIS-related
Project Impact projects managed through other organizations. The project list and timeline
for County agency projects will be further developed as a part of the GIS Planning Group
discussion process.
Appendices
Appendix A: Current and Planned GIS Activities and Needs, by County Agency - This
appendix provides detailed information about the current and future GIS and mapping needs
of individual agencies. Each agency's uses and needs are discussed in detail. This
information has been summarized and analyzed in the body of the GIS plan.
Appendix B: "Project Impact " Proposal Summary - This appendix summarizes the
"Project Impact" proposal made by the Department of Data Systems and GIS projects to be
completed during 2000and 2001 utilizing "Project Impact" funding.
Appendix C: GIS Concepts - This appendix gives a brief introduction to the field of
GIS, the structure of GIS data, the some of the uses of GIS in a government environment.
This appendix is meant to give all potential readers an understanding of the basics of GIS in
order to make full use of the information in this GIS Plan.
Appendix D: A Short Glossary of GIS Terms - This appendix provides descriptions
and definitions of most of the GIS and mapping terminology used in this GIS plan.
Page 8
Data Systems Department GIs Plan
Needs Assessment - Summary of
County GIS Activities and Needs
Purpose of the Needs Assessment
In the role of County GIS Coordinator, the initial task of the Data Systems
Department GIS Support Program was to assess the GIS uses and needs of all County
agencies. Between January 2000 and March 2000, most County agencies were interviewed
about their current and future planned needs for maps and GIS applications. Further,
agencies were asked how they would like use GIS if they were able (a GIS "wishlist"). The
needs and goals of all County agencies interviewed were used to form the basis for defining
the initial goals and objectives of the GIS Support Program's coordination and support
responsibilities. The longer term definitions of goals and objectives for the GIS Support
Program have been set as points of discussion for a GIS Planning Group. This planning
group will also help to refine, as needed, the long-range countywide GIS strategy and
therefore the appropriate coordination and support roles of the GIS Support Program.
That said, it is clear that the roles and responsibilities of the Data Systems
Department's GIS Support Program in coordinating Hawaii County's GIS activities will need
to change as the needs of County agencies change. We are assuming from the outset that this
GIS Plan is a dynamic guiding document and that the roles and responsibilities for
coordinating and supporting GIS activities must also be dynamic to address evolving
priorities.
Summary of Needs Assessment
Between January 2000 and March 2000, these County agencies were interviewed as
to their current and future map and GIS application needs:
1. Civil Defense Agency
2. County Clerk's Office (Elections Division)
3. Finance Department (Real Property Tax Division)
4. Fire Department
5. Liquor Control Department
6. Office of Housing and Community Development
7. Parks and Recreation Department
8. Planning Department
9. Police Department
10. Public Works Department (Wastewater, Building, and Engineering Divisions)
11. Research and Development Department
12. Water Department
The needs for each agency were summarized and sent to the applicable agency for
review and comment. The individual agency summaries are collected in Appendix A. Taken
as a group, the GIS activities and needs of County agencies reflect various individual and
common directions, needs, and obstacles to implementing the use of GIS. The summarized
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
GIS activities and needs are outlined below. Table 1 also summarizes, by agency, much of
the information from the individual agency summary sheets collected in Appendix A.
Current GIS Uses
GIS Software - Agencies differ greatly with respect to the GIS software they use,
want to use, or expect to use. Some departments (Water, Planning, Housing, Police, and
Fire) already have GIS systems in place and expect to continue using them in their present
capacities. Software currently being used includes ArcInfo (Planning), MicroStation
GeoGraphics (Water), Intergraph MGE (Police and Fire E991 systems), MapInfo (Housing),
Maptitude (Housing), and ArcExplorer (Fire Search and Rescue). Although not currently in
use, the Elections Division of the County Clerk's Office used ArcInfo for the 1990 Council
district reapportionment and will likely use ArcInfo again to do the 2000 reapportionment.
Uses of GIS - Agencies also differ greatly in their current and proposed future uses of
GIS. The Water Department uses GIS as would a private utility, to map the water system,
track maintenance of the system facilities, and plan capital improvement projects. The
Planning Department uses GIS as a land use planning and analysis tool. The Police and Fire
departments use a turn-key E911 dispatch system based on a GIS address matching
application integrated with GTE's 911 address system. Housing and Community
Development manages housing resources and programs implemented through Section 8 and
Community Development Block Grant funding.
Future GIS Uses
GIS Software - Almost all agencies that do not have a GIS system want to use in-
house GIS applications developed by the Data Systems Department instead of developing
their own GIS systems. Specialized GIS applications can perform a wide variety of map
display, information gathering, and report generating functions specific to each agency or
desired use. Most of these applications will need to link to external databases via TMK
number to extract information from building permit, planning permit, voter registration,
and/or real property tax records.
Uses of GIS - In general, the departments that already have GIS systems and are
building their own data layers (Water, Planning) were primarily interested in acquiring
needed data layers and implementing data sharing capabilities between County agencies and
the private sector. Many agencies need database/query applications that will track licenses,
permits, County assets, or other information linked to TMK numbers (Finance, Police
Criminal Investigations, Research and Development, Fire, Elections, Liquor Control,
Housing, Public Works). Other users will need more analysis and decision-making tools
integrated as a part of their application (Research and Development, Civil Defense, Fire).
Real Property Tax will use an outside contractor to construct and maintain a Web site
showing TMK parcel lines with their attached real property tax information as well as data
from linked building permit and planning permit databases.
Page 10
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Implementation Needs
Data Needs - Some of the data layers for various GIS tasks and applications already
exist, but most do not. Of the layers that exist, some of the important ones are costly to lease
or purchase. The most important of these are the TMK and satellite photography layers. As
a general rule, all agencies need to access an updated TMK parcel layer, other agency's data
layers, and tabular databases for their future GIS applications. A common set of background
GIS data layers is also needed, including road networks, streams, coastlines, elevation
contours, digital elevation models (DEMs), soil types, state land use districts, census tract
data, and various others. The most commonly requested tabular databases are building
permits, planning permits, and street addresses. Several agencies would like link to the voter
registration database as well.
Countywide Network - Most users directly or indirectly expressed the need for a
countywide computer network. As uses for GIS expand, a countywide network will be
necessary for efficient sharing of GIS data layers and linked tabular database files. Until
such a network is in place, GIS or tabular database files will need to be manually passed
between agencies using Zip or CD ROM disks. When GIS layers are used over a network,
the load on any existing server can be very high. Therefore, efficient sharing of GIS layers
will also require a dedicated GIS server using GIS server software.
Staff/Resources - Much of the information that agencies want to integrate into or link
to GIS data layers presently exists only as hard copy paper files. These files need to be
converted or otherwise entered into a database in order to be useful in a GIS system.
Unfortunately, data layer development and maintenance is often the most time-consuming
and expensive factor in developing a GIS system. Therefore, agencies that need to develop a
GIS layer or a database to link up to their GIS applications, another important obstacle is the
staff time/money necessary to develop the data layer or initial database and keep that layer or
database updated. In many cases, there is no process and maybe no available computer in
place to convert the hard copy data and there is often no available staff time to allocate to the
task. Because of these time and staff limitations, some initial data layer development may
need to be contracted to outside vendors. After initial development, County agency staff can
maintain these data layers.
Training/Education - Some agencies mentioned that initial training classes in GIS
would be valuable. In the process of interviewing agency personnel for the GIS needs
assessment, it was clear that although most agencies were interested in GIS for specific
known uses, they were unaware of many other potential uses of GIS and how it is being used
in other municipal government environments. Workshops and basic training sessions in the
basics of GIS and its uses in municipal government, would appear to be very useful in
allowing agencies to realize the full potential of GIS in their agency.
Page 13
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Analysis and Conclusions
The uses of GIS within the County varies greatly between agencies. Some County
agencies have been using GIS for many years and have independently developed their own
GIS systems. Most agencies have no GIS capabilities at all. Agencies that do use GIS use
different brands of software and may be using different standards for dealing with their data
layer processing. Each agency has processed their own background data layers, such as
coastlines, streams, roads, and elevation contours, and may have gotten the data for these
layers from different sources at different times. Some agencies update these background
layers, while others may not. At present, there does not appear to be commonly agreed upon
coordinate system and projection that would facilitate effective sharing of data layers.
Despite the disparities of previous implementations of GIS, there are several underlying
themes that run throughout the discussions with County agencies:
1. there is great interest in using GIS by all agencies interviewed;
2. the potential uses of GIS that agencies propose is as diverse as the agency
mandates they hold. This is not unexpected;
3. despite the diversity of potential applications of GIS, agency data needs and other
obstacles are very similar; and
4. although there are different proposed applications, almost all agencies want to
share their data and experience and are eager to collaborate in a common GIS
effort.
It is clear that great benefit for all agencies can result from coordination and planning
to solve common problems, address common needs, alleviate obstacles, and coordinate
existing and future GIS program activities to make the most effective use of GIS countywide.
Given these common themes and current agency GIS activities and needs, there are several
conclusions that can be drawn to begin implementation of a countywide GIS Program:
1. overall GIS coordination and guidance roles are necessary and will be performed
by the Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program;
2. a GIS Planning Group should be formed to provide a forum to assist in overall
coordination, addressing common needs, and refine long-term countywide
GIS goals; and
3. the Data Systems Department can immediately undertake several GIS projects
that will support all agencies and programs, including:
? negotiating a countywide site license for a TMK parcel layer;
? begin a TMK-street address matching project;
? initiate the GIS Planning Group and countywide GIS planning process;
? start "Project Impact" GIS projects and secure related funding; and
? start GIS training sessions.
Page 14
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Given these common needs and conclusions, three broad areas are proposed as the
initial roles of Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program:
1. Overall Roles and Responsibilities of the GIS Support Program;
2. Initial Objectives for the County GIS Program; and
3. Current Activities of DSD's GIS Support Program.
These areas are discussed in detail below.
Overall Roles and Responsibilities of the Data Systems Department
The Data Systems Department is the County GIS Coordinator. In that role, the Data
Systems Department's GIS Support Program will:
1. plan, implement, and coordinate programs and projects that address the GIS needs
and issues common to all County agencies;
2. provide guidance and technical support to County agencies with existing GIS
systems;
3. provide GIS capabilities and support to County agencies that do not yet have GIS
systems; and
4. develop a centralized County-wide GIS database (a data storehouse) to be shared
by all County agencies.
In these overall roles and responsibilities, there is an implied mission statement to
integrate, coordinate, and support existing GIS programs, and tap existing GIS experience to
build a strong countywide GIS Program that meets the needs of all County agencies. The
GIS Support Program will focus on developing a central commonly accessible repository of
GIS data on a centralized server. Although a centralized GIS system, using common
software applications etc., is not envisioned at this time, this option will remain a planning
consideration for future GIS implementation.
Long-Range Goals of the County GIS Program
The Data Systems Department has set these initial long-range goals for the County
GIS Program. These goals will be refined, as needed, to keep with evolving County
priorities:
Within five years, the County of Hawaii should have a fully coordinated GIS program
in which critical GIS data layers, both of general and special use, are available and being
maintained in an up-to-date manner. The data, though originating from one department or
agency, shall be made available to all County departments and agencies as needed for use in
GIS projects and analysis. Data Systems Department will continue to serve as the
coordinating body to facilitate the sharing of GIS data, resources, and expertise among all
County organizations. In addition, GIS applications development and programming services
will be provided to County departments and organizations.
Page 15
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Initial Objectives for the County GIS Program
Short-Term Goals and Objectives
Based on the GIS needs expressed by County agencies, the initial roles and
responsibilities of the Data Systems Department GIS Support Program should, in most
respects, be similar to the existing data and computer application support roles of the Data
Systems Department as a whole. The roles and responsibilities of the GIS Support Program
include both GIS coordination responsibilities for the County as a whole and GIS support and
development responsibilities tailored to individual agency needs.
Countywide GIS Coordination - The Data Systems Department should coordinate
those GIS issues that are more effectively dealt with by a single entity in rather than by
individual agencies. This centralized coordination will help to assist in sharing data, provide
for a framework for analyzing GIS and data development issues that affect all County
agencies, and prevent duplication of data development efforts.
The GIS Support Program provided by the Data Systems Department should:
1. Chair and Coordinate a Countywide GIS Planning Group -A countywide GIS
Planning Group would act as a forum to deal with GIS issues that affect all
agencies. The group could help to define what activities and roles should be
pursued as a group and which should remain at the agency level. Group
issues should focus on the mission of developing a common framework to
assist in sharing data layers, setting common standards for data layer
management, and planning for the common direction of Hawaii County's GIS
effort.
2. Develop and Maintain Background GIS Data Layers -Many GIS layers that
would be used by all GIS systems or applications serve as background layers.
Layers such as coastlines, elevation contours, streams, and rainfall contours
are often necessary for work by all departments, but are not the responsibility
of any one department to develop or maintain. A single common set of these
background layers should be continually updated and maintained by DSD. A
centralized common data layer set would avoid duplication of effort and
insure that all agencies are working with a consistent and current background
data layer set.
3. Bea GIS Data Storehouse -Through a dedicated GIS server and local area
network (LAN) connections, the GIS Support Program should house and
make GIS data available to applications and GIS systems throughout County
government. Agencies processing their own GIS data layers would deposit
their layers to the common GIS server when each layer is completed and
ready for distribution. Common background GIS layers developed and/or
maintained by DSD would also be available on the GIS server. With a GIS
data storehouse acting as the common link with all agencies, individual
agencies would be relieved from the potential network traffic and intrusions of
GIS users from many agencies. All uploaded GIS data layers would also be
analyzed by DSD to ensure that they conform to any standards decided upon
by the GIS Planning Group (i.e. standard projection and units). If a policy for
Page 16
Data Systems Department CIS Plan
public distribution of GIS data is implemented, the GIS Data Storehouse could
serve as a "storefront" for distribution of County GIS data, thus relieving
individual agencies of public distribution responsibilities.
4. Provide GIS Training and Education -The Data Systems Department presently
provides computer training classes for a variety of software applications
including the Microsoft Windows and the Microsoft Office suite (Word,
Excel, and PowerPoint). DSD can likewise provide training and information
classes on general GIS issues such as the basics of GIS and different uses of
GIS in municipal government. Classes could also be given on specific GIS
software packages such as ArcView or ArcExplorer. Depending on the topic,
these classes could be taught either by in-house staff or by outside instructors.
Courses could be tailored either for County personnel in general or towards
the needs of individual agencies.
GIS Support and Development - The Data Systems Department should provide
general services and support tasks that would assist each agency develop and use GIS in the
ways they need to accomplish their individual mandates.
For Example, the GIS Support Program provided by the Data Systems Department
should:
1. Provide GIS Support Services - These GIS support services should include those
that are too cumbersome, expensive, or inefficient for agencies to do
individually. Such services may include making wall maps, digitizing maps
and other GIS layer data development, assist in developing specifications and
assessing needs for GIS software and hardware, and general in-house GIS
"consulting" services such as providing technical support for existing GIS
activities.
2. Provide GIS Application Development Services - DSD presently develops and
supports computer applications to accommodate the data processing needs of
many agencies. The GIS Support Program can likewise develop Windows-
based GIS applications for specific and general purpose needs including basic
multi-layer query applications, GIS-linked relational database applications,
and GIS spatial analysis applications. Application development, however, can
only be done on a time-available basis. DSD can also assist County agencies
with contracting special GIS development projects with outside vendors.
Current Activities of the Data Systems Department's GIS Support Program
Given the discussions and feedback from County agencies, it was clear that various
projects and activities could be implemented immediately and would be beneficial to a wide
variety of agencies and future projects regardless of result of discussions on longer-term
goals and objectives. The Data Systems Department is currently undertaking these projects:
Page 17
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Acquisition of a Countywide TMK Parcel GIS Layer (Summary of Options and Analysis)
A TMK Parcel GIS data layer is the most requested GIS layer by County agencies
and would be the base layer for many GIS applications. The GIS Support Program has
investigated several alternatives for a TMK parcel GIS layer including:
1. Office of Planning TMK Layer -This layer is free of charge and was developed
about 1993 as a state contract to R.M. Towill. Due to various errors in the
development process, the layer is widely regarded are very inaccurate.
Further, there were apparently no provisions made for regular updates to this
data layer and so the layer is already very outdated. There have been several
unsuccessful and expensive attempts to update this data layer and "fix" the
errors. The cost of fixing and updating this layer to be reasonably accurate is
prohibitive.
2. HELCO - HELCO is using Coordinate Geometry (COGO) methods to input
TMK lines. If done correctly, COGO methods can be very accurate.
However, HELCO has only entered approximately 40% of the county TMK
parcels using this method over 2-3 years. The Office of Planning TMK layer
(described above) is being used for the remaining parcels. No time estimates
were given for completion of the COGO layer and there is apparently no
standardized process for updating parcels for ownership change and other
updates other than new subdivisions.
3. In-House / Vendor Development - The County could attempt to develop its own
TMK GIS Layer by either digitizing the TMK maps in-house or through a
contract to an outside vendor. The Data Systems Department has received 2
estimates of approximately $200,000 for such a contract. Product
development time would be at least a year.
4. Existing Vendor Product - A Honolulu vendor has already digitized TMK maps
and has produced a reliable product that they update regularly with updated
TMK maps and real property tax data. The TMK products by this vendor are
currently used by many county, State, and private GIS systems statewide. This
is a proprietary product and must be licensed. A license fee for usage by all
County agencies and on the Internet is approximately $98,000. Recurring
annual fees can be eliminated through a data exchange agreement.
Given the above options, the most viable option to meet current needs is to license the
vendor TMK product. From several sets of discussions and meetings with county agencies
that would participate in the purchase of a countywide site license, a set of license agreement
requirements was developed to protect the County's interests in such a large purchase. This
set of license agreement requirements is being used as the basis for negotiating a license
agreement and on-going contract to provide timely updates.
TMK - Address Matchin Proiect
The second most requested source data was street addresses for TMK parcels. This
information is vital for address/location verification or any project needing addresses of
residents within a specified radius of a location (i.e. land use permit applications). At
present, the only complete source for street addresses for TMK parcels is in the Department
Page 18
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
of Public Works, Building Division. This information consists of a tabular list of hand
written addresses and addresses written on a set of TMK maps. DPW, Building Division is
eager to transfer this information and the entire street address process to a computerized
database. In this form, street addresses can be linked directly to the TMK parcel GIS layer.
The Data Systems Department is currently working with DPW, Building Division to
develop a Microsoft Access database application and a data entry process to complete the
initial data entry of street addresses from the roughly 2200 TMK maps. This project will also
develop a database update process to be used by DPW, Building Division to maintain the
street address database.
GIS Planning Groug
Each interested agency will be invited to send a representative to a GIS Planning
Group. The initial objectives of the GIS Planning Group will be to:
1. refine, as needed, the long-range GIS goals for the County as a whole;
2. agree on countywide GIS standards (projection, coordinate system, units,
metadata);
3. assist in prioritizing the GIS needs for County agencies and therefore prioritizing
the efforts of the GIS Support Program;
4. provide a forum for coordination of GIS efforts between agencies;
5. begin policy discussions on potential public-private data sharing arrangements
with entities such as HELCO, GTE, and MLS Hawaii and policies on how to
distribute digital data in response to public information requests;
6. coordinate the implementation of a process to update and maintain a roads layer
for the County, including County and private roads names and address ranges
for roads segments where applicable; and
7. GIS program planning and funding issues to meet short-term and long-term GIS
objectives.
Project Impact
"Project Impact" is a federally-funded program to provide assistance to municipal
governments to prepare for natural disasters and related emergencies, such as tsunamis,
floods, hurricanes, wildland fires, earthquakes, etc. Hawaii County has received
approximately $500,000 in Project Impact funding. Several of the GIS projects requested by
County agencies are appropriate for Project Impact funding. Therefore, the Data Systems
Department has prepared a separate proposal and budget for Project Impact projects to be
implemented during 2000 and 2001. A summary of this proposal can be found in Appendix
B of this plan. It is anticipated that a portion of this funding will provide the initial hardware
and software requirements to complete Project Impact projects and help to provide the basic
infrastructure for the GIS Support Program as a whole.
Page 19
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Initial GIS Training
Several initial GIS training and information sessions are being planned. This training
will provide an overview of various GIS topics that will focus on assisting County personnel
in understanding what GIS can do and how GIS is being used elsewhere in municipal
governments. Initial training topics will be expanded versions of the topics outlined in the
GIS Concepts section of this plan:
1. GIS Concepts;
2. GIS data and attribute database structure; and
3. GIS as used in municipal government agencies (and related uses).
Page 20
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Data Availability
Data layer development and/or licensing can be the most costly and time-consuming
aspects in developing a GIS program or application. Therefore, data availability is one of the
most crucial factors in deciding if and what GIS project to undertake. Many projects are not
feasible unless the needed GIS data layers already exist or can be easily developed. Tables 4
and 5 display a list of GIS data layers and related databases, currently available or planned
for Hawaii County, along with relevant information about each layer or database. For
specific information about any data layer, always refer to the metadata file for that layer if it
is available.
Date - Although there are many map layers listed in these tables, not all layers are
appropriate for all uses. Be sure to use the data most appropriate to the project. Note that
some GIS layers are very current and could be used for current planning purposes, while
others are 35+ years old and are likely more applicable for historical studies and analyses.
Scale - The scale of the original map data reflects the approximate accuracy of the
original base map. It is generally not appropriate to do analyses using GIS data from vastly
different scales. Unless absolutely unavoidable, only use GIS layers derived from similar
scales and use layers derived from as large a scale as possible (i.e. use a GIS layer derived
from 1:24,000 scale map rather than one derived from a 1:100,000 scale map).
A note on scale terminology: Maps are often referred to as "large scale" or "small
scale" maps. A map is considered "larger" scale relative to another map if the size of an
object on the ground is larger on one map compared to the other. For example, a land parcel
that is 2000 foot long on a 1:24,000 scale map would be about I inch long on the map. On a
1:50,000 scale map, the same parcel would be about %2 inch long. The 1:24,000 scale map is
a "larger" scale map (even though it has what looks like a smaller scale number).
GIS Base Layers
The GIS base layers listed in Table 4 are layers not produced by Hawaii County
agencies. Almost all are general layers for reference and orientation; land use land cover
layers, hydrology and water resource layers, and other layers produced by either a federal or
state agency. Almost all of these data layers are available through public sources for free or
minimal cost. Other layers are produced by private entities and may need to be licensed.
GIS Layers and Databases from Hawaii County Agencies
Table 5 lists GIS layers and databases from Hawaii County agencies that are either
currently available or planned. Several County agencies are in the process of developing GIS
layers of information in their jurisdiction. Generally speaking, these GIS layers are not yet
available. Several databases, however, have been maintained for many years and are
currently available for use. Once a countywide GIS program is underway and there is a need
for further GIS layers and databases, it is expected that this list will grow substantially.
Page 21
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Data Systems Department CIS Plan
Appendix A.
Current and Planned GIS Activities and Needs,
by County Agency
Between January 2000 and March 2000, these County agencies were interviewed as
to their current and future map and GIS application needs:
1. Civil Defense Agency
2. County Clerk's Office (Elections Division)
3. Finance Department (Real Property Tax and Accounts Divisions)
4. Fire Department
5. Liquor Control Department
6. Office of Housing and Community Development
7. Parks and Recreation Department
8. Planning Department
9. Police Department
10. Public Works Department (Wastewater, Building, and Engineering Divisions)
11. Research and Development Department
12. Water Department
The needs for each agency were summarized and sent to the applicable agency for
review and comment. The summary for each agency interviewed follows.
Page 28
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Civil Defense Agency
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Civil Defense Agency
personnel Harry Kim (Civil Defense Administrator).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Manning Activities
The Civil Defense Agency uses paper maps for a multitude of planning and in-
progress emergency situation analyses. These maps include standard USGS 7.5 minute quad
maps, smaller scale commercial maps for regional analyses, and custom made maps for
tsunami evacuation zones and other features.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
Civil Defense sees many potential projects using GIS in order to both create updated
paper maps of fixed facilities and hazard classifications as well as GIS applications to assist
in disaster planning, and real-time analysis and response.
Revised Tsunami Evacuation Maps - The current tsunami evacuation maps have not
been updated for many years and do not reflect current roads and infrastructure. New maps
based on current communities, facilities, and infrastructure would greatly assist in updated
planning and analyses.
Revised Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) - The current Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRM) do not reflect current threats to public safety. The topography changes with
land development leading to altered or expanded stream channels, drainage ways and flood-
prone areas. New buildings may also affect channelization, etc. New FIRM maps need to be
developed using engineering analyses and flood modeling and in conjunction with engineers
from the Public Works Department and other professionals.
Detailed Lava Hazard Zone Maps - Presently, there are no detailed maps or GIS
layers showing lava hazard zones. Detailed maps would greatly assist in planning efforts and
field maps. Detailed lava hazard maps would need to be developed in conjunction with
geologists at the United State Geological Survey's Hawaii Volcanoes Observatory (HVO)
and other professionals.
Real-Time Analysis Response GIS Application - There is a need for a GIS real-time
application that could assist in disaster response activities. This application would be able to
define populations at imminent risk or in need of assistance, effected populations from
facilities and utilities outages, and best routes to bring needed resources to effected
populations. Various GIS layers would be used in these analyses, including TMK parcels;
TIGER (census track information), topographic contours; water, sewer, and private utilities;
police, fire, and other public safety facilities.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
County Clerk's Office (Elections Division)
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Elections Division
personnel Ed Kozohara (Elections Program Manager) and Pat Nakamoto (Elections Program
Specialist).
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Manning Activities
Reapportionment and Council District Maps - County Council districts are
reapportioned every 10 years. The next reapportionment process will occur during most of
2001 using the 2000 census data. Throughout the reapportionment process, Elections
Division personnel must confer directly with the Elections Commission staff using census
tract data, census tract maps, and TMK parcel maps to delineate new district boundaries. The
Elections Commission and Elections Division staff will directly use Arclnfo software to
query and analyze different scenarios and delineations of voting districts.
The result will be a census tract-by-census tract GIS layer showing new County
Council districts. New Council District maps will be produced by the Data Systems
Department's GIS Support Program using completed reapportionment GIS layers along with
standard reference layers such as roads and landmarks.
Voting District/Polling Place Application - This application would assist Election
Division personnel with voting district inquiries from the public. By entering a street address
and/or TMK parcel number, the correct voting district and polling place can be easily
identified. When used with a valid street address list, this application can also be used to
verify that a street address shown on a voter registration form actually exists. This
application would use a TMK parcel layer with matching street addresses, where known,
state and county voting district layers, and a list of polling places.
Page 30
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Finance Department (Accounts and Real Property Tax Divisions)
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Accounts Division
Personnel (Dixie Kaetsu, Accounts Division Chief), and Real Property Tax personnel Gary
Kiyota (Real Property Tax Administrator), Mike McCall (Real Property Value Analyst III),
and Data Systems personnel assigned to the Real Property Tax office, Richard Onishi (Data
Processing Systems Analyst I).
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
Real Property Tax Division: Real Property Tax Information Web Site - The Real
Property Tax Division is entering into a contract with an outside vendor to convert the
property tax records and assessment responsibilities from the City and County of Honolulu
mainframe to a newly developed Hawaii County system housed at the Real Property Tax
office. As a part of this conversion, a subcontractor will construct an Internet web site to
display tax parcel maps and real property tax information for the public. The web site will
also include interactive search and display features using a TMK GIS parcel layer. This web
application can use the TMK GIS parcel layer to link to tabular databases such as building
permits and planning permits to show:
1. an interactive TMK parcel map of the area;
2. ownership information;
3. assessed values of land and improvements;
4. active planning and building permits;
5. building footprints and dimensions; and
6. pictures of the parcel or it's main structure.
The Web site will be managed by the subcontractor as a part of the contract and will
be hosted on the subcontractor's web site. Updated parcel map and real property tax
information will be shipped to the subcontractor on a monthly basis for inclusion into the
Web site.
Accounts Division: County Asset Tracking Application - The Accounts Division
wants to develop a GIS application to track County assets for depreciation and other
accounting purposes. County assets to be tracked generally include land, buildings, and
infrastructure and would tracked with respect to initial construction contracts and subsequent
maintenance contracts. Specific asset items would include assets from all County
departments and would include:
1. buildings;
2. land;
3. roadway sections;
4. bridges;
5. street lights;
6. traffic signal systems;
7. sewer lines/facilities; and
8. water lines/facilities.
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Data Systems Department CIS Plan
This application would use a TMK layer as a basis and use overlays for each asset
type. Database files for each asset type would be linked to each layer and would contain
various attributes relating to each asset's original and depreciated value, contractor used, date
the work was done, etc. Initially, only assets put into service since 1980 would need to be
included in the tracking application, but eventually all County assets would be included.
The accounting information for all county assets that would be included in an assets
database presently exists in the Finance Division. However, most of the GIS layers of
County assets do not yet exist. Some of these layers may be developed as a part of other
projects (i.e. Parks and Recreation Facility Tracking Application). The rest will need to be
developed by other means.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Fire Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Fire Department
personnel Tom Bello (Battalion Chief), Steven Iwamoto (Battalion Chief), Vivian Akine
(Auxiliary Services Technician), and Raymond Rowe (Fire Equipment Operator).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Ming Activities
911 Dispatch System - The Fire Department uses several GIS and mapping software
packages for 911 dispatch and for keeping various databases and/or street maps. The Fire
Department's 911 dispatch system uses a custom-designed Intergraph GIS system to display
the street locations of 911 calls. The Police Department's 911 dispatch system uses software
and data identical to the Fire Department's system. All 911 calls are routed through the
Police 911 Department's dispatch center and rerouted to the Fire Department's system when
needed. The Police 911 Dispatch System has 7 terminals while the Fire Department's 911
Dispatch System has 3 terminals.
The dispatch application is integrated with the GTE 911 system, which generates a
street address (the current address listed by GTE) from every 911 call. This address is
matched-up with the address ranges on a roads GIS layer and plots a position along a street
based on proportional measuring of the address ranges along the street. The 911 dispatch
system uses a roads layer as the basis for locating addresses but uses many other GIS layers,
such as streams and landmarks, for reference and orientation.
Search and Rescue Operations - The Search and Rescue teams presently use paper
maps as guidance for drivers in Search and Rescue operations. Search and Rescue has also
acquired ESRI's ArcExplorer and GIS data layers from Hawaii Volcanoes National Park to
better assist them in making on-the-fly maps to access areas and find victims.
Wildland Fire Management - Wildland fire emergencies require active
communication and interaction with federal, state, and county agencies as well as private
landowners with respect to the locations of crews, fire breaks, hazards, and critical resources
on these lands. Paper maps are currently used to catalog contact name and phone numbers of
landowners of large parcels, and the locations of water sources to fight fires, potential
hazards, and cultural sites needing protection. GPS units are used, where possible, to catalog
precise locations of water and cultural resources. Helicopter mapping is used to track the
current perimeter of a fire.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
911 Dispatch System - Since the Fire Department's 911 Dispatch System is identical
in most respects to the Police Department's system and this system feeds the Fire
Department's 911 Dispatch System, the Fire Department's concerns are generally identical to
those of Police Department (ref. Police Department Summary). The Fire Department also
confirmed that they are dealing with many of the same issues (i.e. roads layer updates, lack
of locations for cell phone calls, and change of address issues with moved phone numbers).
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Hazardous Materials Database GIS Application - The Fire Department would like to
see a hazardous materials GIS layer developed to assist them in tracking potentially
dangerous chemicals. Sources of data would include the State's RCRA database of
Hazardous Waste generators, underground storage tanks, and other sources of dangerous
materials.
Search and Rescue GIS Application - Search and Rescue needs some assistance in
using the ArcExplorer software and/or researching and implementing other options to
produce on-the-fly maps to assist drivers in finding victims. Alternatively, an in-house GIS
application could be developed tailored to meet the needs of the Search and Rescue teams.
Wildland Fire Resource Maps / GIS Application - The Fire Department has expressed
the need for wildland fire resource maps made from updateable GIS layers and
accompanying GIS application that includes a database of GIS layers for large landowners,
fire breaks, road accessibility, infrastructure, hazards such as phone and power lines, water
sources, cultural resources, and other critical information. These maps and GIS application
would greatly assist in:
1. overall resource and agency coordination and planning prior to the outbreak of a
fire;
2. cataloging available water resources, fire breaks, potential risks, land owner
contacts and assets, and other critical information;
3. quick retrieval of critical information on lands and resources in the path of a
wildland fire, and locating available resources to fight a wildland fire; and
4. intra- and inter-agency coordination during a fire.
Page 34
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Liquor Control Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Liquor Control
Department personnel Kalei Smith (Private Secretary) and Ann Ebesuno (Hearings
Reporter).
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
Liquor License Locations GIS Application - The Liquor Control Department has
requested a GIS application to locate all existing liquor licenses on a TMK map, display
relevant related information about the TMK parcel, search surrounding TMK parcels for
related relevant information, and assist inspectors in locating licensee premises. The TMK
parcel database would be linked to the existing dBase database of liquor licenses, planning
permits (Planning Department), building permits (Public Works Department) and other
databases to query the area for the appropriateness of surrounding land uses and completed
building permits. Specifically, the application would need to search for churches and schools
to avoid locating a licensed establishment too close to these land uses.
The owners of all parcels (or portions of parcels) within 100 ft. and 500 ft. around a
potential liquor license property need to be contacted as a part of the liquor application
process. Therefore, this application would need to create 100 ft and 500 ft. buffers around
the potential liquor license property and extract the owners and/or recorded lessees and
mailing addresses for each parcel.
Eventually, the Liquor Department would like to use this GIS application in
conjunction with global positioning system (GPS) units in inspector's cars to assist inspectors
in locating inspection sites.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Office of Housing and Community Development
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Housing and Community
Development personnel Edwin Taira (Housing Assistant Administrator), Royce Shiroka
(Housing and Community Development Specialist IV), and Neil Hirota (Accounts Clerk).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping Activities
The Office of Housing the Community Development (OHCD) manages all the federal
Housing the Urban Development (HUD) programs for the County, such as Section 8 Housing
Assistance and Community Development Block Grants. As a part of HUD programs, HUD
originally provided OHCD with several licenses for MapInfo software in order to track and
manage the housing resources that OHCD administers. Several years ago, HUD switched
software applications and provided OHCD with an office-wide license for Maptitude
software to be used in conjunction with the HUD Community 2020 GIS database. These GIS
database files are based on the TIGER census tract data layers, which are updated yearly.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mappine Activities
OHCD would like to make better use of the Maptitude and/or Maphifo software
packages they presently use by including a TMK GIS parcel layer and linking their housing
database to other TMK-linked databases, such as the planning permits and building permits
databases. The TMK parcel layer and related database will assist OHCD to better track and
manage the housing resources they administer and assist in providing detailed maps and
other information for inspectors.
Page 36
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Parks and Recreation Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Parks and Recreation
Department personnel Julie Tulang (Director) and Glenn Miyao (Parks Planner /
Administrative Officer).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping. Activities
The Parks and Recreation Department uses paper maps for many day-to-day
operational activities, including facilities and project planning, scheduling and public
information distribution.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
Facility Tracking/Asset Management - The Parks and Recreation Department
maintains many parks and related facilities, each of which may contain various structures,
paths, parking lots, or other facilities. A GIS application would greatly assist in cataloging
all the facilities and structures in all County parks. This application would require a search
of County Public Works (Building Department) records for each park to obtain building
plans and other records. All facilities, structures and related infrastructure would need to be
digitized and attribute database developed for each type of facility.
Capital Improvement Projects (CIP) - New and existing Parks facilities require
capital improvements including required improvements to comply with the federal
Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). A database of CIP projects, contracts, and
individual tasks linked to the Parks Facility GIS Layer (see Facility Tracking/Asset
Management above) and its facilities database would greatly assist in tracking CIP projects,
its tasks, and other project planning. This application would also use GIS layers and/or
linked databases created from the original construction plans (site maps, surveyed contours,
building footprint, etc.).
Maintenance and Repair Scheduling - The Parks and Recreation Department is
responsible for maintaining and repairing the buildings, paths, parking lots, and other
facilities in County parks. A database of maintenance and repair tasks, completed and
scheduled, linked to the Parks Facility GIS Layer (see Facility Tracking/Asset Management
above) and its database would greatly assist in displaying, scheduling, and tracking
maintenance and repair projects.
On-the-Fly Maps for Public Distribution - The Parks and Recreation Department gets
many public requests for camping permits, to schedule other park facilities, and general
information. These requests could be better serviced by creating on-the-fly maps for the
specific requests pointing to camping sites and other scheduled facilities. Ideally, general
maps of county parks and their available facilities could also be available for printing and/or
download from the Internet.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Enrollee and Employment Site Database - The Senior Community Service
Employment Program enrolls seniors in a variety of employment programs. This GIS
application would assist in coordination of enrollees and employment sites. The application
would show current employment sites and opportunities at each site and would show the
approximate residence location of each enrollee. The application would require GIS layers
for TMK parcels, roads, and council districts, as well as a database matching street addresses
to TMK parcel locations.
Page 38
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Planning Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Planning Department
personnel Virginia Goldstein (Director), Russell Kokubun (Deputy Director), Norman
Hayashi (Planning Program Manager), Daryn Arai (Planner V), Roy Uchida (GIS Analyst I),
and Gilbert Bailado (Cartographic Drafting Technician).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping Activities
LUPAG Map - The Planning Department is using ArcInfo to revise their LUPAG
map as a part of the revised County General Plan. Many infrastructure GIS layers, such as
police stations, fire stations, schools, and public utilities, are being developed as a part of the
infrastructure plan. A planning consultant is assisting in many aspects of the General Plan
revisions. A subcontractor (MapTech) is doing several GIS analyses including a detailed
infrastructure analysis, an analysis of land use district inconsistencies between LUPAG and
the State Land Use Districts (SLUD) maps, and population density analyses.
Tax Parcel Maps - In the past year, the Planning Department has taken over official
responsibility from the City and County of Honolulu for updating and maintaining the over
2200 official Tax Parcel Maps for Hawaii County. Tax maps are updated on the current hard
copy media (vellum, Mylar, or linen) for small revisions or converted to a digital layer using
AutoCAD when there is a large revision to a plat map. Although converted to digital form,
these maps are not registered to a geographic coordinate system. As each map is updated, it
will be scanned using a roll scanner. The initial scan of all 2200 tax parcel maps is complete.
County Zoning - A color-coded County zoning map is used on a constant basis for
checking current zoning as a part of verifying planning permit application information, etc.
Zoned land use districts have been manually drawn in on a parcel-by-parcel basis using a
copy of the official TMK parcel maps as a base layer and are updated as needed.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
County Zoning GIS Layer - A County Zoning GIS layer is needed by the Planning
Department and other agencies to:
1. more effectively and more accurately answer public inquiries and check planning
permit application information; and
2. analyze current and planned land use land use and the effects of potential zoning
changes.
A Tax Map Key (TMK) parcel GIS layer for the island of Hawaii, will be the basis
for developing and maintaining the county zoning data layer.
GIS Presentations - The Planning Department will be implementing interactive GIS
presentations to the Planning Commission and County Council using an LCD projector.
These presentations will allow active and immediate information search and retrieval
capabilities to respond to queries from council members and the public.
Page 39
Data Systems Department CIS Plan
Planning Tool GIS Application - A TMK-based "drill-down" application would be
useful for querying for information for Real Property Tax parcel data, County Zoning, State
Land Use Designation (SLUD), Special Management Area (SMA), Flood Insurance Rate
Map (FIRM), lava hazard zone and other land use planning layers. This application would
be useful in evaluating planning permit applications and public inquiries.
Additional capabilities may include linked database queries to assist in tracking the
land use activities on a parcel-by-parcel basis. TMK parcels would be actively linked to
current RPT data, the building permit database, and the planning permit database and would
show what permits (if any) have been issued in the past and/or are currently active for each
land parcel.
Page 40
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Police Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Police Department
personnel Linda Nako (Data Processing Systems Analyst II).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping Activities
911 Dispatch System - The Police Department is currently using GIS as the basis for
its 911 dispatch system, a custom-designed and integrated application which uses Intergraph
software as its GIS core. This GIS display system is used to provide accurate locations and
directions to police officers responding to 911 emergency calls. If a 911 call requires Fire
Department response, the 911 call is passed to the Fire Department's 911 Dispatch System,
which uses generally identical hardware, software, and data.
This dispatch application is integrated with the GTE 911 system, which generates the
current street address, as listed by GTE, from every 911 call. This address is matched-up
with the address ranges on a GIS roads layer and plots a position along a street based on
proportional distances of the address ranges along the street. The 911 dispatch system also
uses other GIS layers, such as streams and landmarks, for reference and orientation. The 911
dispatch system is currently running on 7 PC computers using 21" monitors.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
911 Addresses - The 911 addresses supplied by the GTE 911 link is not always
correct. Telephone customers must give GTE the correct address when signing up for new
phone service. GTE attempts to verify all new addresses with the Police master street
address guide (MSAG). Until recently, many addresses could not be verified because the
MSAG was not kept up to date by the county. Other similar problems include addresses that
are not always updated when customers move and take phone numbers with them or when
numbers are reassigned. This may result in incorrect or old addresses passed to the Police
911 dispatch tracking screen.
Roads Layer Updates - The address matching function linked to the roads GIS layer
is the critical component of the 911 dispatch system. Therefore, the roads layer must be kept
current with respect to new roads and changing address ranges. The 911 dispatch system
software has the capability to update the roads layer lines and address ranges, but the Police
Department feels that street data updates are not their responsibility. Street information
should be updated by another entity. This update process should be an on-going internal
county process involving the Public Works Department, Building Division (assigns street
addresses) and the Planning Department (assigns public street names).
Private Roads - Addresses on private streets are a real problem for the 911 dispatch
system. Private roads are not cataloged by the County and therefore, there is no consistent
process for assigning street names and address ranges for private roads. However, in order to
respond to 911 calls, Police still need to locate addresses along private streets. If the County
can not take on the responsibility for cataloging private roads, the Police Department feels
Page 41
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
that there needs to be an external process to catalog private street names and addresses.
Potential responsible entities may include the Chamber of Commerce or a commercial
mapping entity that would get a benefit out of such information and would be willing to be
the clearinghouse of private street names. Similarly, a defined responsibility for posting
street name signs on private roads is also needed.
Cellular Phones - Cellular phone calls make up 30-40 % of all 911 calls. However,
since there is no process in place to automatically locate the position of a cellular phone, 911
dispatch must rely on the caller to give an accurate location. During an emergency, callers
can not often give accurate directions. By September 2000, all cellular phones are required
by the FCC to be equipped with the capability to track the caller's location in the event of a
911 call. The Police Department will want to integrate this feature into their 911 dispatch
system.
Integration with Other Databases - Eventually, the Police Department would like to
integrate/cross-check 911 screen information and addresses with their Incidents File, Traffic
File, Property File, Arrestee File, etc. This may provide valuable additional information for
Police officers responding to an emergency. Presently, these files are maintained on the
Wang minicomputer system and must be manually cross-checked with 911 dispatch screen
information.
Criminal Investigation Division (also Vice and Juvenile) - Police officers need to be
able to research and verify where someone lives and who owns a specified property in order
to properly serve a search warrant. This GIS application would use the most current TMK
layer for ownership information and would build a TMK-linked database of all arrests and
warrants served.
Page 42
Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Public Works Department (Building, Engineering, and Wastewater Divisions)
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Public Works
Department personnel Peter Boucher (Wastewater Division Chief), Stanley Takemura
(Building Division Chief), Galen Kuba (Engineering Division Chief), Brian Kajikawa
(Design Projects Coordinator), Ron Matsumura (Land Surveyor IV), and Meryl Kobayashi
(Engineering Drafting Technician).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping Activities
Wastewater Division - The Wastewater Division is responsible for designing,
constructing and maintaining the County's wastewater infrastructure. Presently the County
wastewater lines and other wastewater infrastructure are mapped on Wastewater Division's
own system maps.
Engineering Division - The Engineering Division processes all subdivision
applications and construction plans. All related hard copy materials are filed by project name
and/or TMK parcel number. When questions or complaints arise about a specific project or
TMK parcel, a manual search is done of all file areas to locate all available materials. This
manual process can be very time consuming.
The Engineering Division receives numerous requests for the Flood Insurance Rate
Maps (FIRM) flood zone classification of a particular TMK parcel. These requests require
correlation between separate paper maps and take up a substantial amount of personnel time.
Building Division - The Building Division assigns addresses for TMK parcels and
keeps a record of the address assignments on a hard copy list and writes the addresses inside
each parcel on a set of TMK maps. There are approximately ten years of the TMK-to-
address records in hard copy list form. The TMK maps contain addresses assigned during
this ten-year time period and as well as a long undetermined prior time period.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
Wastewater Division: Full GIS Development and Editing - The Wastewater Division
needs to have full GIS development and editing capabilities to develop and maintain an
accurate GIS layer for County wastewater lines and infrastructure. Additional needed
capabilities include the ability to model effluent flow and loads through the system in order
to more efficiently develop and size capital improvement program (CIP) projects.
Engineering Division: Index to Project Materials - A GIS-based index to project
materials would use a TMK parcel base map as a graphical index to all existing project file
materials. This application would assist engineers and clerical staff in finding all available
information related to a project or TMK parcel. Folder names, map names, and file drawer
locations of all construction plans, subdivision plans, building permits, and project folders
would be cross-referenced with TMK parcels and project names, and entered into a database.
The GIS interface would serve as a searchable and graphical index to direct users to the
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
locations of all existing project materials. Eventually, this application could be cross-
referenced with the Planning Department's planning permits database and with a database of
State engineering reports.
Engineering Division: Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) Classification - This GIS
application would assist in public requests for FIRM classification of a land parcel. The
application would overlay of the Flood Insurance Rate Maps (FIRM) GIS layer onto a TMK
parcel map layer. A user would click on the map or text search on a TMK parcel number to
retrieve the FIRM classification.
Building Division: Convert TMK Street Address Maps - The TMK street address
maps are the only existing reference of official street addresses for TMK parcels. There is
presently no hard copy or digital back up of this resource. Similarly, the list of TMK parcel
to street address matches is currently cataloged as a paper hard copy only with no back up.
The purposes of this project would be to:
1. scan the TMK maps for back-up purposes;
2. convert the cataloging of TMK parcels with street addresses to database
application and enter all previous hard copy street address information from TMK
maps and/or tabular lists.
3. develop a GIS application so that addresses can be assigned directly as an overlay
to the TMK parcel layer. This application would develop and save distance
markers used in assigning addresses.
Building Division: Detailed Building Permit Information - This application would
use TMK parcels as a base layer to link to a detailed building permit records database. The
database would show the status and details of all exiting open building permits, including
what elements have been approved and when, what other actions have been taken in the
building permit process (revisions requested, etc). A similar application for building
inspectors would be placed on CD ROM to be used on a laptop and use GPS capabilities to
assist building inspectors in locating a property that is to be inspected.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Research and Development Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Research and
Development personnel Margarita Hopkins (Director), Raymond Carr (Economic
Development Specialist III), Collette Rapozo-Yamamoto (Resource Materials Specialist),
and Elaine Fukui (Research and Development Private Secretary).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping Activities
The Research and Development Department gets many public and business requests
for location-specific information on economic development-related issues. These requests
generally fall into one of two categories:
1. Requests for an analysis of the resources or economic potential for a specific site
(i.e. agricultural potential of a specific TMK parcel) or
2. Requests for a list of sites that meet specific criteria (i.e. filming locations that
have mountainous backdrops).
This process may take several days to compile information for some requests. Some
information isn't presently on any available paper maps and the request may go unanswered.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
The Research and Development Department has identified specific types of requests
that can easily be addressed with existing GIS data layers or layers easily created from
existing data. These applications would greatly assist in effectively addressing a large
portion of their requests for information. Several of these applications could be combined
into a single GIS application.
Agricultural Potential of a Specific Site - An agricultural survey application would
give site-specific information about various agricultural and environmental parameters. A
TMK map would be used as the basis of the application. The application would use GIS
layers for soil properties, rainfall, sunshine, elevation, and various agricultural surveys to
develop an on-the-fly report of the information from each layer for the specific site.
Census Tract Information - Census tract information is often requested by financial
institutions, etc. A census tract application would use the TIGER 98 data layers to research
grouped population and economic statistics on a census tract basis.
Enterprise Zone Information - An enterprise zone GIS layer would be combined with
a TMK parcel layer to match up TMK parcel numbers with areas are in the state-delineated
enterprise zones.
Disaster Mitigation and Planning - Many types of applications are possible to support
disaster planning, disaster mitigation, and on-the-ground analysis of disaster situations. The
initial project may be an analysis of current resources and service areas. Given the
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
geographic extent of an event (actual or predicted), this GIS application would provide
information to answer the questions "How many people do we need to assist and what
resources will they need?", "What resources do we have nearby?", and "What is the best
route to get these needed supplies to the affected population?"
Film Industry Shoot Locations - The film industry often requests information about
locations to shoot commercials and larger film productions. Various types of data (pictures,
movie clips, narrative text, etc.) about many potential sites around the island would be linked
to those locations on a GIS map. Using a text search based on specific criteria, a user could
easily find, display, and generate a report of the locations that fit the specific criteria.
Tourist Trip Planning Information - This type of GIS application would assist
prospective and active tourists locate information about accommodations, restaurants, visitor
attractions, and scenic areas. Depending upon the scale of the application and the sites
shown, cooperative funding would be sought from the Chamber of Commerce, the Hawaii
Visitors' Bureau, and similar institutions. This application could be used in-house and also
produced on CDs for distribution to individuals, hotels and other locations.
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Data Systems Department CIS Plan
Water Department
This summary of GIS activities is based on discussions with Water Department
personnel Milton Pavao (Director), Quirino Antonio (Deputy Director), and Craig
Shimbukuro (GIS Analyst II).
Current and/or On-Going GIS and Mapping Activities
HIWater Package - The Water Department is using a custom-designed, turn-key
package which includes HIWater, a Bentley GIS system designed around, and interactive
with, the daily work-flow operations of the Water Department. The complete interactive
package integrates activities for customer service; engineering; operations; water quality; and
document imaging and retrieval with the HIWater GIS system and a hydrologic modeling
package. The GIS functionality of HIWater runs inside Bentley's MicroStation GeoGraphics
software. The hydrologic modeling capabilities use the GIS system for pipeline and other
hydraulic properties and uses University of Kentucky's KYPipe software as a hydrologic
modeling engine. HIWater accesses much of its system attribute data through database
links/queries. This was done initially through links to Microsoft Access databases, but was
later moved to Microsoft SQL server. The database functionality is now being ported to an
Oracle database for stability.
All water system components (lines, tanks, laterals, etc.) have been digitized for the
Kalaoa area (N. Kona) and have been overlain onto a TMK parcel layer. This is the test area
for the HIWater GIS and modeling processes. The State Office of State Planning (OSP)
TMK Parcel GIS layer is being updated and rubber-sheeted so that water system components
can be digitized for these areas as well.
Planned and/or Needed GIS and Mapping Activities
HI-Water Updates/Expansion - The Water Department currently has a contract with a
Honolulu vendor (SynCad) to further integrate the HIWater system's GIS capabilities with an
Oracle database, Web-based applications, and a document management system.
Current TMK Layer - Rather than use the OSP TMK parcel layer, the Water
Department would like a current and actively updated TMK parcel GIS layer.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Appendix B.
"Project Impact" Proposal Summary
"Project Impact" is a federally-funded program to provide assistance to municipal
governments to prepare for natural disasters and related emergencies, such as tsunamis,
floods, hurricanes, wildland fires, earthquakes, etc. Hawaii County has received
approximately $500,000 in Project Impact funding. Many of the GIS projects requested by
County agencies are appropriate for Project Impact funding. Therefore, the GIS Support
Program has prepared a separate proposal and budget for Project Impact projects to be
implemented during 2000 and 2001. A summary of this proposal begins on page 50 of this
plan. This funding will provide the initial hardware and software requirements to complete
Project Impact projects and help to provide the basic infrastructure for the GIS Support
Program as a whole. The GIS Support Program's proposal is summarized below:
Data Systems Department expects to participate in a total of five projects as a part of
Project Impact over the 20-month duration of the program. Three projects are to be
implemented through DSD in collaboration with other County agencies or organizations, and
two are proposed or managed by other organizations with participation and technical
assistance from DSD.
Projects Proposed to be Implemented by Data Systems Department's GIS Support
Program
1. Revised Tsunami Evacuation Zone Maps - The Civil Defense Agency has expressed a
need for revised tsunami evacuation zone maps. The current tsunami evacuation zone
maps have not been updated for many years and do not reflect current roads, services,
and infrastructure. New maps based on current communities, facilities, and
infrastructure would greatly assist in updated planning and analysis efforts. Final maps
would use data layers for roads, topographic contours, land use and/or land cover,
common landmarks, shelters, and public service facilities such as hospitals and Police
and Fire Stations as well as other information requested by Civil Defense.
2. Real-Time Analysis and Response GIS Application - Given the geographic extent of an
event, this application will analyze the aerial extent of the populated area affected, the
population of that area, and the best remaining routes to get equipment and supplies into
the effected area. If feasible, this application will include planning-level versions of
peak-flood and tsunami wash-up models. This application will assist police, civil
defense personnel, and relief organizations assess the scale of an event and respond with
appropriate levels of food, water, shelter, and other resources. This application would
use a TMK parcel layer along with TIGER census track information, detailed roads
layer, utility layers (water, electricity, telephone, cellular/microwave towers), public
service layers (police, fire stations, hospitals, schools), aerial photos, topography and
vegetation layers (where can a helicopter be landed?). This application could also be
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
used to help approximate the economic cost of an event and therefore, assist in requests
for aid and assistance from other jurisdictions.
3. Wildland Fire Resource Maps / GIS Application (Pilot project) - The Fire Department
has expressed the need for wildland fire resource maps and accompanying GIS
application that includes a database of GIS layers for large landowners, fire breaks, road
accessibility, infrastructure, water sources, cultural resources, and other critical
infonnation. These maps and GIS application would greatly assist in:
1. overall resource and agency coordination and planning prior to the outbreak of a
fire;
2. cataloging available water resources, fire breaks, potential risks, land owner
contacts and assets, and other critical information;
3. quick retrieval of critical information on lands and resources in the path of a
wildland fire, and locating available resources to fight a wildland fire; and
4. intra- and inter-agency coordination during a fire.
Most of the required information for this application has been already gathered for the
South Kohala Fire District. This pilot project will supplement the information already
collected to create a complete set of resource maps and GIS application for South
Kohala Fire District. The South Kohala products will act as a test bed to review the
actual usage of the products for later fine-tuning and future development of similar
products for other districts.
Projects Proposed or Managed by Other Organizations
4. Natural Hazards Database - The scope of natural hazards that affect Hawaii County
includes lava flows, earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes, wildland fires, flash flooding,
and vog/laze. Effective programs for education, analysis, and mitigation of these
hazards will require a comprehensive database of existing resources and available
information upon which these programs can build. However, such a comprehensive
hazards resource database does not yet exist. The wide range of geologic, hydrologic,
and fire hazards that affect Hawaii County will require a County-wide research and data
gathering effort to determine what information and resources exists on these hazards.
This database of information will provide much of the baseline data for many other
hazards-related projects.
5. Mauna Loa Lava Flow Hazard Assessment - The last eruption of Mauna Loa in 1984
sent lava within 4 miles of Hilo. Since then, it is estimated that over one billion dollars
have been invested in new construction on the flanks of Mauna Loa volcano, posing an
inevitable hazard to the people living there. Recent mapping has shown that lava flows
on Mauna Loa have covered its surface area at a rate of 35-40% every 1000 years. This
project will analyze these recent mapping data with current GIS data for TMK parcels
and utility infrastructure to assess the risks to life and property of future eruptions. This
analysis can serve as a guide for land-use planners and developers to make more
informed decisions for future development activities.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Appendix C.
GIS Concepts
This appendix is a general overview of Geographic Information System (GIS)
technology and its uses, and is aimed at potential users and managers with limited or no
background in GIS. This information is meant to give all readers a basic understanding of
GIS to insure they can make the best use of the information in this plan. For those readers
who already actively use GIS software, this section may not offer anything new. For the rest,
this section is meant to give potential GIS users and managers a conceptual understanding of
GIS without getting bogged down in unnecessary technical details, data management issues,
or the specifics of individual pieces of software. Although some technical details and data
management issues are necessary to explain GIS concepts, every effort has been made to
keep them to a minimum. For more thorough descriptions of both technical and management
aspects of GIS, there are many good GIS texts, some of which are referenced at the end of
this appendix.
Bear in mind that GIS is inherently a digital medium that often expresses some of its
uses in paper form (a map). Although we can talk about GIS and wax eloquent on paper
about its virtues and features, the real power of GIS is in its use as a software application. It
is difficult to put to paper the understanding that may require first hand experience of sitting
at the computer. This section briefly covers these major topics:
1. What is GIS?
2. The Structure of GIS Data
3. Some Uses of GIS
4. Mapping Parameters (the Guts of GIS Processing)
A table of GIS web sites and a list of further readings in GIS are also included.
What is GIS?
"GIS" is an acronym that stands for "Geographic Information Systems." In practical
terms, "GIS" is basically a fancy phrase for "computerized maps" in the same way that a
spreadsheet program is a computerized version of a ledger sheet or a word processor is a
computerized writing tablet. All can be considered computerized versions of a paper end
product. In all these cases, the computerized version not only contains the end product
information, such as the text of a document, the number in the spreadsheet cell, or the road
on a map, but also has a great deal of information "behind the scenes" that the user
manipulates to create the end product. A spreadsheet cell that shows a number may actually
contain a formula that computes the number. The text of a word processing document has
the attributes of the font type (Courier versus Times Roman), font size and font style, and
paragraph formatting. Likewise, the line that is a road on a map may have attributes such as
road class (Interstate highway versus County road) and road type (4-lane divided highway
versus 2-lane road) that define how the road appears on the map. The line that is the road
will look different on the map depending on the values of these attributes.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Although GIS software is often used to make paper maps as the end product, in many
cases the end product of GIS is never meant to be printed or otherwise meant to be a "static"
end product. Many uses of GIS require that the GIS system be interactive and the GIS
information remain in digital form. When using GIS software, we are often asking a
question such as "show me all the roads that are 4-lane divided highways that are not
Interstate highways." In these cases, the information (attributes) attached to the mapped
items is often more important than the viewable mapped items themselves. The mapped
items are simply graphical representations of linked attribute information. It is this feature of
linked attribute information that is the foundation of increasingly important uses of GIS in
science, utilities, and government. To explore these ideas further, we must look at the
structure of GIS data and then look at some of the different ways GIS is used.
The Structure of GIS Data
GIS data has basic structural components that allow GIS to be used in a wide variety
of ways. In order to use a GIS system for almost any purpose, there are certain features that
the GIS data itself must have. There are two basic features that distinguish GIS data from
technical drawings or other drawings that are simply pictures of maps. First, the mapped
features must be spatially referenced and second, the mapped features must contain attribute
information. This section explores different structures of GIS data that allow spatial
referencing and linked attribute information to be included.
Data Structure
A "database" of GIS data generally consists of many separate themes, such as
groundwater wells, roads, land use, and rainfall. Each one of these themes is generally
referred to as a GIS "layer" or "coverage." Although we often refer to a collection of GIS
data layers for a specific geographic location as a "database," it is not a database in the true
sense of the word. But simply a set of geographically-related data layers. Each GIS layer
has a single data structure, which can be one of two basic classes, "vector" or "raster." The
choice of which data structure is used in a particular situation can be a matter of preference
or a matter of suitability to the task. Some data layers are better suited to a vector structure,
while others are better suited to raster. There are other data structures related to these basic
two, but these require discussion outside the scope of the GIS Plan. The two basic data
structures are described below.
Vector data looks much like other technical line drawings, such as a CAD drawing,
and consists of a series of points, lines or polygons. Most GIS data is represented as one of
these vector data types. Each vector layer generally must consist of a single vector data type.
Many features such as groundwater wells, fire hydrants, or telephone poles are most easily
represented as points. Water lines, elevation contours, or roads are generally best represented
as lines. Still other information such as land use, legislative districts, or groundwater
aquifers are best thought of by their areas and so are generally represented as closed
polygons. For these polygon features, the boundaries are of lesser importance than the area
inside the boundaries. Attribute information for vector data, such as a fire hydrant number, a
name of a road, or a land use classification is generally stored in separate attribute tables or
database files. Attribute data is discussed in more detail in the Attribute Databases section
below.
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Data Systems Department CIS Plan
Figure 1 shows an example of a GIS layer for roads (vector lines) and the associated
attribute table for the road segments. Each road segment has an ID number, a road type, and
a road name. The graphic displays 14 road segments based on three road types (State
Highway, County Street, and Private Road). The LineID number would generally only be
used internally by the GIS system to match up the line segment to a row of information in the
attribute table. The LineID numbers are shown on the graphic in this example to show how
the attribute data is linked to the graphic elements. It is generally not necessary to display the
internal ID numbers on a GIS layer.
LinelD Type Name
1 County Street Hoolehua Street
1 2; ' 2 Private Road Plumeria Drive
3 3 Private Road Orchid Drive
4 County Street Kilauea Avenue
5 5 County Street Hoolehua Street
' 6 County Street Kilauea Avenue
0 7 County Street Waiakea Street
6 7 8 9 6 County Street Maile Avenue
9 Count Street Hoolehua Street
1 12 10 State Hi hwa Kamehameha Highway
13 11 Coun Street Maile Avenue
12 Coun Street Waiakea Street
1 13 State Highway Kamehameha Hi hwa
14 State Hi hwa Kamehameha Hi hwa
Figure A-1. A vector line GIS layer for roads, displaying 14 roads segments as 3 road types.
The ID numbers in the graphic refer to a row of information in the attribute table.
Raster Data looks like a very fine piece of graph paper and consists of a grid of rows
and columns. Each cell in the grid represents a predefined area. If the rows and columns are
spaced 100 ft apart, then each cell in the grid represents an area 100 ft on each side, or 10,000
sq. ft. Raster GIS Layers are generally used for satellite images, aerial photographs, and data
layers better represented as surfaces, but raster layers are also sometimes used to represent
the same information as would a vector layer, such as roads or land use districts. Figure 2
shows roughly equivalent vector and raster layers of land use. Note that the raster equivalent
does not define the borders of the land use districts very well. However, if a smaller cell size
were used, the borders would be better defined. On the other hand, a smaller cell size would
result in more cells and a larger file size.
In this situation, a vector data type is probably better suited to display land use
districts. Raster layers are most often used to show data that has a continually changing
features over a land surface such as satellite images, aerial photographs, or information that is
simply better represented as a surface rather than vector entities. Using a raster data
structure for satellite images or aerial photos are fairly obvious, but the use of rasters on other
ways may need more explanation. For example, data layers such as topographic elevations
or rainfall are often developed as raster layers. Although it is very common to see elevation
and rainfall information displayed as a series of contours (i.e. a 200 ft contour line), in reality
the contours lines are only showing very small parts of a surface. Using vector lines, it is
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
n
1g £ t~ .
3t3 ,
(5j t i
f Via" ,
n
a ~
L x d
Y~~y;~- rk' a tl.e
Figure A-2. Equivalent vector and raster data layers for example land use districts.
clear where the 100 ft. elevation contour is and likewise, the 200 ft. contour. But these lines
do not show the elevations for the area between these two contours. Using a raster data layer
instead of a vector line layer, each raster cell between the two contours will have its own
value. In this case, the elevation values can change gradually between 100 ft and 200 ft and
can better represent an entire land surface. When a large area composed of individual cells is
shown, the cells form a surface that can more easily be shown in 31). Figure 3 shows a
topographic raster layer shown in 31). Each row /column intersection represents a single
elevation value. When the intersections are connected with lines, a surface is created.
Figure A-3. 3-Dimensional surface created using a raster layer for surface elevation.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
Spatial Referencine
A major feature of GIS data layers is that they are referenced to a known spatial
coordinate system, such as latitudellongitude, Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM), or the
State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS). Coordinate Systems are discussed in more detail
below. If several layers are each referenced to the same coordinate system, this allows these
layers to overlay each other. This is similar to clear acetate overlays on a paper base map.
The inherent spatial referencing properties in GIS data layers allow large GIS data sets
consisting of many layers to be constructed for a geographic area. Figure 4 shows an
example GIS data set of overlain rainfall contours, elevation contours, groundwater wells,
and soil types for the same area. Raster layers could also be included. All layers in a
spatially-referenced set will overlay precisely, at least in theory. Any new GIS layers
developed in-house or acquired elsewhere, which are in the same coordinate system, will also
overlay precisely with the other layers. It should be noted here that, even though layers may
be referenced to the same coordinate system, there are often still minor discrepancies
between layers that may need to be resolved. These discrepancies may result from the fact
that the base maps for all layers weren't of the same scale. More about map scales later.
Rainfall
Contours (line)
Elevation
Contours (line)
Groundwater
Wells (point)
- Y
Soil Type
(polygon)
Figure A-4. Overlain GIS layers (with layer type) for the same locale.
Attribute Databases
So far we have talked about GIS layers mostly from their graphical properties such as
how the layers are displayed and overlain. But the real power of GIS is in the fact that these
graphical layers of vectors and rasters have attribute data attached to the graphics. Without
the attribute data, a GIS system would simply be a spatially-referenced form of technical
drawing software such as a CAD (Computer Aided Design) system.
But what do we mean by "attributes"? Let's take for example, a vector line layer for
roads. A road or road segment has various characteristics or attributes that are useful for
general reference or management purposes. These attributes may include:
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
1. the road's name;
2. county route number (if applicable);
3. the length of the road or road segment;
4. road classification (State highway, County street, private road, etc.);
5. road type (4-lane divided, 4-lane undivided, 2-lane undivided, etc);
6. address range on the left or right side of the road;
7. the composition of the road surface (asphalt or concrete); and
8. the last date the road segment was re-paved or had other maintenance.
This attribute data is generally kept in the form of one or more database files (dBase,
Oracle, etc) and linked to the elements of a graphics file using ID numbers. Each road or
road segment (each line) of the GIS roads layer will have a record line in the database file
containing an entry for each attribute. In this sense, a GIS data layer can be seen as two
geographically-linked files: a graphics file composed of point, line, polygon, or raster
elements and a database file of attribute data with each graphic element in the graphics file
linked to a record in the database file (see Figure A-1, page 28). 1
Using the GIS roads layer as an example, a user can access the attribute data of that
layer in one of two ways. Firstly, by using a computer mouse and graphically selecting one
of the road segments, a table of all the attribute values can be displayed for that road
segment. Secondly, the user can do a GIS-based database query to retrieve a set of road
segments that conform to a specified set of criteria. For example, you could "ask" the GIS
system to show you "all roads that are 4-lane undivided highways that are surfaced with
asphalt." The roads that meet these criteria would be highlighted on the screen. The
database query functions of a GIS system are very powerful tools.
Some Uses of GIS
A slogan used by one of the GIS software companies is "Everything is spatial." This
points to a general recognition (at least in the GIS community) that there is a spatial
component to just about all information. Assuming this to be true, GIS could be used to map
and analyze a myriad of natural phenomena and human endeavors and activities. Indeed,
GIS is used in many ways far too numerous to even begin to list them all here. However,
there are several general groups of uses of GIS that can be described to give a broad feel for
how GIS is being used and could be used.
The examples described below give a feel for "what" is being done with GIS, but may
not give a feel for "why." Until recently, the direct use of GIS was limited to the few
professionals that knew how to operate the overly complex GIS software. In order to make
use of GIS, a GIS task was given to the GIS "professional" who completed the task and gave
the result back to the person requesting it. This created a disconnect between the users of the
information and the users of the GIS tool. The people who really knew what information
they needed in order to solve a problem couldn't use the GIS tool, and those using the GIS
' The concept of GIS data as a form of a database is being taken one step further. Several GIS systems are now
using a file format that is complete database structure for both graphical elements and attribute data. ESRI's
"GeoDatabase" is an example. Oracle version 8i is now using a "Spatial Database" structure as well.
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Data Systems Department GIS Plan
tool didn't really know enough about the problems to make the best use of the GIS tool to
solve the problems. In recent years, however, GIS software has evolved into user-friendly
applications that are becoming a common tool on the desktops of planners, engineers,
scientists, policy makers, business people, as well as the general public. GIS is now simply a
tool, albeit a powerful one, which is now being used directly by the people who solve
problems and make decisions. As a part of the "Needs Assessment" for this GIS plan, many
County agencies were interviewed about their current and intended uses of GIS. This
information is provided in Appendix A and shows some concrete examples of the ways
different County agencies want to use GIS. The rest is up to your imagination.
Mgp Making and Atlases
The making of maps is the first activity that comes to most people's minds when they
think about GIS and for good reason. The task of making maps and keeping the data on
them current has certainly become much easier and faster with the widespread use of GIS.
The landscape and the human activities on the landscape are ever-changing. Therefore,
whenever a map is made depicting the "current state of affairs," it is generally out-of-date
even before it hits the streets, regardless of the method used to make it. The best we can
hope for is to keep ahead of the curve by updating map information as often as possible and
making maps only as soon as you need them. Enter GIS. This update process is, of course,
one of the areas where GIS shines. Information you enter today can easily be on tomorrow's
maps. With the common use of high-quality large format ink jet plotters that can print
realistic color prints at 600 dpi, even publication quality E-sized large format wall maps (34"
x 44") can be made on a day-by-day basis. Color laser printers and low-cost smaller inkjet
printers have made high quality smaller maps very cheap and easy to produce. Indeed, one
of the biggest concerns with this new capability of "on-the-fly" map making is making too
many maps and trying keeping track of just which one of the maps you have lying around is
the most current one. A date and time stamp helps.
Spatial Queries and Databases
The real power of GIS is in the information that lies behind the graphics. Most GIS
systems are essentially graphical databases with all the query and relational capabilities of
regular databases plus a whole lot more. Many GIS applications are built wholly around
these query capabilities. Simple "drill-down" applications are generally designed to give you
a summary of information about a single location, but derived from many GIS layers. You
can think about this kind of application as analogous to "drilling-down" through a paper base
map with many acetate map overlays, and retrieving the information from each map layer as
you drill through it. Assuming the GIS application has loaded these GIS layers, one mouse
click on a location might display a table showing the TMK parcel number, annual rainfall,
soil type, elevation, and legislative district of the point you clicked on. A more sophisticated
query application might allow you to "ask" questions about spatial relationships between
multiple GIS layers, such as "show me all TMK parcels that have an annual rainfall over 100
inches and are below 2000 feet elevation." The possibilities are endless.
Modeling and Spatial Analysis
Modeling and spatial analysis applications take the database power of GIS at least
one step further by using linked database information to do everything from spatial statistical
analyses to complex groundwater or climate modeling. Indeed, some of the modeling
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applications don't even bother to display the map layers at all. The graphical features
themselves are secondary to the locations of the attribute data linked to those features.
Spatial analysis applications use many spatial statistics methods to calculate things
like the centroid or direction of a group of activities such as instances of crimes, or the
correlation between two sets of activities such as the use of a certain pesticide and known
groundwater contamination sites. Using a road network with linked database information on
typical traffic patterns, routing applications can plot the shortest distance or shortest travel
time given a series of stops that need to be made.
Models such as watershed, groundwater or climate models use mathematical
equations that must have spatially accurate information on many environmental parameters,
such as rainfall, land use, soil type, and topographic elevation. The GIS layers used by these
models act as spatially-accurate repositories where these modeling parameters are stored.
The information from many GIS layers for a single location is lifted from the database of
each layer and used in the modeling equation. The results of one calculation may direct the
model to another location and pick up the GIS data stored at that location where another
calculation is done. The model end product may be tables of results and/or possibly another
GIS layer showing the results of the model.
Map Parameters (The Guts of GIS Processing)
This section is for those who want a little more depth on the parameters used to define
how GIS data layers and maps are constructed, registered to real world coordinates, overlain
and displayed. This section will cover the major concepts of the primary mapping
parameters: projections, coordinate systems, scares, datums, and ellipsoids (or spheroids).
The fact that GIS systems use these map parameters is one of the major technical differences
between GIS software and other technical drawing software, such as AutoCAD. The main
issue to keep in mind in this section is that if GIS layers do not use the same map projection
and coordinate system, and use the same datum and spheroid, they will not overlay correctly
when displayed in most GIS systems 2.
Although the topics of projection, coordinate system, scale, datum, and ellipsoid are
discussed here with respect to GIS data, the topics apply equally well to standard paper maps.
Most good maps will list much of this information somewhere on the map. For example, a
standard 7.5 minute USGS quadrangle map all have the map parameters listed in the text
areas at the bottom of the map. If you ever attempt to digitize that map, you will need this
information to properly register the map to real world coordinates and to insure that it will
overlay with other maps in the same projection, etc.
Projections
Firstly, consider the spherical earth and how you would attempt to display a spherical
surface on a flat map. This is not as easy as it may first appear. You can't simply "unroll" a
spherical surface to make it flat without distorting or warping some part of the surface in
a There are some new features of some GIS systems that will automatically adjust the mapping parameters so
that layers will overlay correctly even if they do not use the same parameters.
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various ways. In the end, the question becomes how do you display a spherical surface on a
map with the least amount of distortion given some set of criteria. The solution to this
problem has lead to many complex mathematical equations, called "projections", for
transferring the coordinates of lines and other graphical features from a spherical surface
onto a flat surface. You can think of the "projection" process used in GIS as being similar to
an overhead projector "projecting" lines from a clear acetate sheet onto a screen on the wall.
Figure 5 shows lines of latitude and longitude being projected from a clear globe onto a flat
piece of paper. In this example, a small bright light bulb projects light from the center of the
globe. The light shines through globe and transfers ("projects") the lines onto the flat paper.
The problem with this particular process is that it produces a great deal of distortion.
Light bulb
Z7
Lines of projection
Figure A-5. "Projecting" latitude and longitude lines from a glass globe to a flat piece of
paper.
But using this basic idea, many projection methods have been developed (almost all
of which are used as mathematical equations). Each projection equation (referred to simply
as a "projection") has advantages and disadvantages in that each is better at alleviating some
types of distortions and poor at alleviating other types. Projections are grouped into
categories, such as "planer", "cylindrical", "conic", and "polyconic" depending on the major
geometric form used as the foundation to develop the projections in each group.
Coordinate Systems
Coordinate systems are mapping reference systems which have a defined zero-zero
point (an origin) and generally use specific distance units (usually either feet or meters).
There are "geographic" and "projected" coordinate systems. "Projected" coordinate systems
have a specific projection associated with the coordinate system; "geographic" coordinate
systems do not. Latitude/longitude is an example of a geographic coordinate system. Except
for the latitude/longitude system, geographic coordinate systems appear to be rarely used.
Projected coordinate systems use an associated projection to tailor the map to provide better
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accuracy in a specific location. For instance, the State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS) for
Hawaii has 5 zones. Each zone uses different central latitude and longitude parameters in the
coordinate transformation equation and each zone has its own origin point. The zone-
specific parameters act to make the projection (and therefore the resulting map) more
accurate for a specific island or group of islands.
For those interested, Table 1 shows the central latitude and longitude parameters for
Hawaii's 5 State Plane Coordinate System zones:
Table A-1. Central latitude and longitude parameters for Hawaii's 5 State Plane Coordinate
System zones.
Zone Islands Central Latitude Central Lou itude*
1 Hawaii 18.33333333333 -155.50000000000
2 Maui, Molokai, Lanai, 20.33333333333 -156.66666666667
Kahoolawe
3 Oahu 21.16666666667 -158.00000000000
4 Kauai 21,83333333333 -159.50000000000
5 Niihau 21.66666666667 -160.16666666667
* - longitudes in the western hemisphere are always given as negative numbers
It should be noted that the terms "projection" and "coordinate system" are often used
interchangeably. While this is technically incorrect, there is rarely any confusion since each
coordinate system for a specific locale is associated with a specific projection. For example,
the State Plane Coordinate System in Hawaii is always based on the Transverse Mercator
projection. However, the State Plane Coordinate System in Wisconsin is based on the
Lambert Conformal Conic projection. Occasionally, the latitude/longitude coordinate system
is referred to as a projection. Actually, this is a geographic coordinate system, and
technically speaking there is no projection involved.
Ellipsoids (or Spheroids) and Datums
Ellipsoids and Datums are integrally related and so they are discussed here in one
section.
Ellipsoids - The earth is not a perfect sphere. Instead, it is slightly wider at the
equator than at the poles. The earth's deviation from a perfect sphere is called its
"eccentricity," which works out to be a flattening of just under 1 part in 300. This means that
on the average, the earth is about 0.3% wider at the equator than at the poles, but there many
localized irregularities. This may not sound like much of a problem, but it is enough to
throw off map measurements and accurate plotting of map coordinates. This imperfection in
the spherical nature of the earth is accounted for by using one of many ellipsoid equations,
which are mathematical approximations of the earth's eccentricity. The ellipsoid equations
are generally referred to simply as "ellipsoids" or sometimes "spheroids." Many ellipsoids
are meant to account for localized conditions, while others are for more general usage for
larger areas. There are two ellipsoids in general usage in Hawaii, the "Clark 1866" ellipsoid
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and the "GRS 1980" ellipsoid. Each of these ellipsoids was used to derive one of the two
commonly used datums in Hawaii.
Datums - A datum provides for a common reference grid for measurements. The
reference grid (the datum) is set to a specific place and orientation and gridlines are defined
that measure off the earth in north-south and east-west directions. Most datums are derived
from the use of a specific ellipsoid equation. Therefore, datums and ellipsoids are almost
always used together. There are two datums in common usage in Hawaii: the Old Hawaiian
Datum, which is essentially equivalent to the 1927 North American Datum (abbreviated as
NAD27), and the 1983 North American Datum (NAD83). The Clark 1866 ellipsoid is
almost always used with NAD27 and the Old Hawaiian Datum, and the GRS 1980 ellipsoid
is almost always used with NAD83. Depending on the ellipsoid used in a projection
equation, the reference grid will be placed differently. For instance, in Hawaii the difference
between the NAD27 and NAD83 datums, is a shift of approximately 900 feet.
Although the common convention in Hawaii is to refer to all Old Hawaiian Datum
GIS layers as being in NAD27, it is understood that these layers are really using the Old
Hawaiian Datum. All major pieces of GIS software are hard coded so that when users
reference NAD27 for GIS data in Hawaii, the software automatically substitutes the correct
parameters for Old Hawaiian Datum. The actual difference between the Old Hawaiian
Datum and the 1927 North American Datum is very small. Note that the United States
Geological Survey (USGS), who makes most of the wall maps and hiking trail maps for
Hawaii, is not so lax in its reference to datums. When the USGS writes on one of their 7.5
minute quadrangle maps, that the map is using the Old Hawaiian Datum, they mean it!
Scale
GIS data layers do not have a scale per se. GIS software will automatically scale each
GIS layer using the coordinate numbers in the graphic file. However, most GIS layers have
been digitized from base maps or aerial photos that do have a specific scale. The specified
scale is a measure of the accuracy of the maps or aerial photos used to create the GIS layer
and so scale is still a very important consideration for GIS layers.
Scale terminology differs slightly between the cartographic/GIS community and the
engineering community. Engineering drawings generally refer to scales in terms of the
number of feet on the ground per inch on the drawing, such as 1" = 2,000'. Maps generally
refer to scale as a relative fraction that states the number of units on the ground per unit on
the map, such as 1:24,000. With a little math conversion, we can see that the engineering
and map scales given in the examples above are equivalent (2,000 feet x 12 inches/foot =
24,000 inches). In both cases, the smaller the number on the right-hand side of the scale
term, the more accurate the base map (and by reference, the GIS layer) is generally
considered to be.
Maps are often referred to as "large scale" or "small scale" maps. A map is
considered "larger" scale relative to another map if the size of an object on the ground is
larger on one map compared to the other. For example, a land parcel that is 2,000 feet long
would be about 1 inch long on a 1:24,000 scale map. On a 1:50,000 scale map, the same
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parcel would be about % inch long. Therefore, the 1:24,000 scale map is a "larger" scale
map (even though the number on the right side of the scale term is smaller).
Metadata
Metadata is not a mapping parameter, but is nonetheless very important for
understanding GIS data layers. Metadata is critical information that "documents" and
provides the "lineage" of the GIS layer. Metadata information generally includes:
1. the mapping parameters used (projection, coordinate system, datum, ellipsoid, and
the scale of the original base map, if applicable);
2. who developed the layer;
3. when the layer was developed (and/or subsequently updated);
4. any special processing techniques that were used; and
5. a description of the attribute database fields and any codes used. This is generally
referred to as the "data dictionary."
Metadata is usually kept as a small text file that (hopefully) goes along with the GIS
data layer whenever it is copied or distributed. Note that number 5 in the above list is vital!
The attribute database file often has short, cryptic field names and may use attribute codes for
brevity. The metadata file provides a full description of the database fields and acts as the
"legend" to the attribute codes. Without the data dictionary, it may be impossible to
understand the GIS attribute information. There are many other things that could go into the
metadata file, but exactly what is included in each metadata file is often left up to the
developer of the GIS layer.
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GIS Related Web Sites (just a few to get you started)
Table A-2. GIS-related Web sites.
Hawaii Data Sites
State Office of Planning DBEDT www.state.hi.us/dbedt/gis
City and County of Honolulu 204.182.239.29/honolulu
USGS Data Sites
General edc.usgs.gov/doc/edchome/ndcdb/ndcdb.html
Digital Raster Graphics DRGs rncrncweb.er.usgs.gov/drg
Di ital Line Graphs DLGs edcwww.cr.usas.gov/nsdi/gendlg.htm
Data Clearinghouses clearing house4.fgdc.gov/registry/clearing house sites.html
Free GIS Data Viewers
ArcEx lorer ESRI www.esri.com/software/arcexplorer
Geo Data Explorer USGS dssl.er.us s. ov
GIS Software
Arclnfo ESRI www.esri.com/software/arcinfo/index.htmi
ArcView ESRI www.esri.com/software/arcview/index.html
GeoMedia (Intergraph) www.intergraph.com/geomedia
Idrisi Idrisi Project, Clark University) www.idrisi.com
Imagine ERDAS www.erdas.com/products/product.html
Ma Info Ma Info www.mapinfo.com/software
Microstation GeoGra hics (Bentley) www.bentley.com/products/geographics
Government GIS Applications on the Web just a few
FEMA - Project Impact www.esri.com/hazards
Gwinnett County, GA - Parcel Info www.akanda.com/publicaccess/q-winprof.htm
City and County of Honolulu caro.esri.com/honolulu
Illinois State Police samnet.isp.state.il.us/isp/samintro.htm
Riverside,CA - Parcel Info www.ci.riverside.ca.us/gis/gis web a s.htm
San Diego, CA www.san is.com/
Seattle, WA - Traffic Conditions www.pan.ci.seattle.wa.us/html/traffic.htm
Yakima County, WA www.co.yakima.wa.us/gis/home.htm
lots more GIS Web Sites www.esri.com/software/internetmaps/visit sites.html
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Additional Reading
Introduction Books
Bemhardsen, Tor. 1999. Geographic Information System - An Introduction. John Wiley &
Sons, 372 pp.
Burroughs, Peter and and Rachael McDonnell, 1998. Principles of Geographic Information
Systems, 2nd Edition. Oxford University Press, 333 pp.
Heywood, Ian, Sarah Cornelius, and Steve Carver. 1999. An Introduction to Geographic
Information Systems. Wesley Addison Press, 296 pp.
Map Parameters (but lots of math!)
Snyder, John, P., 1987. Map Projections - A Working Manual. United States Geological
Survey Professional Paper 1395. 383 pp + wall poster of projections.
- more GIS Books -
The ESRI Bookstore Web Site
gisstore.esri.com/acb/Category.cfin?&DID=6&CATID=12
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Appendix D.
Short Glossary of GIS Terms
attributes Information that is attached to GIS graphic features (points, lines
polygons, raster cells) that give meaning to the graphic features,
such as the name of a road (line feature) or a land use
classification (polygon feature). Attribute information is usually
stored in database files (dBase, Oracle, etc.).
ArcExplorer Free GIS software for all Windows platforms, made by Environmental
Research Systems Institute (ESRI) for basic viewing and querying
of GIS layers.
ArcInfo Professional GIS software for NT and various flavors of UNIX, made
by Environmental Research Systems Institute (ESRI) for GIS data
layer development and analysis.
ArcView Desktop GIS software for all Windows platforms, and various flavors
of UNIX, made by Environmental Research Systems Institute
(ESRI) for advanced viewing, querying, and map production.
Bentley Makers of MicroStation and GeoGraphics software products.
coordinate system A defined reference system (usually with a projection) that allows
locations to be defined using northing and easting coordinates.
Examples are latitude/longitude, State Plane, and UTM (Universal
Transverse Mercator).
coverage A set of GIS data comprising a single "theme" of information, such as
"land use", "roads", or "groundwater wells." Each coverage (or
"layer") is generally composed of a single data type, such as
points, lines, polygons, or raster cells.
datum A reference used by a projection or coordinate system to start
coordinate measurement. Common datums in use in Hawaii are
the Old Hawaiian Datum (OHD) and the 1983 North American
Datum (NAD83). OHD is almost the same as the 1927 North
American Datum (NAD27).
DEM Digital Elevation Model; DEM is used both as a generic term to refer
to a raster file to represent an elevation surface and to a specific
raster file structure used by the USGS to represent elevation data.
DLG Digital Line Graph; a vector file structure used by the USGS to show
streams, roads, and other features.
E00 Export file format used by ESRI to transfer GIS layers between
computers.
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ellipsoid A mathematical equation that approximates the irregularities in the
spherical nature of the earth's surface and used as a mapping
parameter in map projection and coordinate system definitions
and transformations.
ESRI Environmental Research Systems Institute, makers of ArcInfo,
ArcView, and ArcExplorer software products.
GIS Geographic Information System. Any one of many pieces of software
that can manipulate geographically-referenced graphical data and
the linked attribute data.
GPS Global Positioning System. A collection of 24 US Department of
Defense satellites that allow users to find accurate positions on the
earth's surface by using one of many brands of GPS receivers.
Intergraph Makers of GcoMedia and MGE software products.
layer Same as "coverage."
metadata Information about a GIS data layer usually held in a text file that
accompanies a GIS layer. The metadata file usually contains the
mapping parameters used and the "lineage" of the GIS data layer.
"Project Impact" A federally-funded program to provide assistance to municipal
governments to prepare for natural disasters and related
emergencies.
projection One of many methods, mostly mathematical equations, that transfer
lines and other coordinates from a spherical earth to flat paper.
raster data GIS data layer structure composed of a regular network of rows and
columns analogous to a fine sheet of graph paper with a value in
each cell.
scale A number that reflects the size of objects on the map. A scale of
1:24,000 shows that a 2,000 foot object is 1 inch long
(2,000 ft / 24,000 = 1/12 foot = 1 inch).
SHP (or Shape) The "Shapefile" format used by ESRI, mostly used in ESRI's
ArcView software, but also increasingly used in software by other
vendors.
spheroid Same as "ellipsoid."
State Plane The short name for the "State Plane Coordinate System (SPCS)."
Used by most county agencies in the State of Hawaii (UTM is
used by most State of Hawaii agencies and federal agencies).
TMK "Tax Map Key" land parcel identification system used in the State of
Hawaii.
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USGS United States Geological Survey (Department of Interior). The USGS
is the primary agency responsible for making many maps of all
types for all areas of the United States and developing GIS data
layers of the same information.
UTM The Universal Transverse Mercator coordinate system. Used by State
of Hawaii agencies and federal agencies (The State Plane system
is used by most county agencies in the State of Hawaii).
vector data GIS data layer structure composed of points, lines, and/or polygons.
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