Anoka County Board gets its first look at GIS mapping system

The commissioners were the told the database of images will be useful for police, highway projects and as a source of revenue.

By PAUL LEVY, Star Tribune

Last update: November 25, 2008 - 10:06 PM

It's an image of Anoka County unlike any seen before.

The County Board got a glimpse Tuesday of how the county's new Geographic Information System (GIS) will add new perspective to mapping out various strategies.

Whether pinpointing the dimensions of a lot size or helping police to see what's in a back yard officers are about to enter, the county's new GIS may make traditional maps appear obsolete. It should also make money for the county.

With the capability to provide 16 different images and angles from the same aerial shot, this system will allow anyone within 18 municipalities in county to see front and back images of houses via computer. It will aid highway workers trying to widen roads. County workers can use the system when compiling mailing lists.

"I imagine law enforcement will put the system in command trucks and parks will use it [when contemplating] land acquisition," said John Slusarczyk, Anoka County GIS coordinator.

A GIS is more than a map; it's a database, Slusarczyk told county commissioners, who seemed captivated by possibilities. It can be used for listing property records. Or it can be used by attorneys who are illustrating chases for court cases.

Many counties in the metro area have already unveiled GIS systems. Unlike other GIS systems, this one was designed over a seven-year period by Anoka County and is expected to earn profits for the county.

Creating the system in-house saved the county about $2 million, Slusarczyk said. Completing a digital annotation layer to the system saved the county $1.4 million, he said.

The county has contracted to sell data to 10 private companies that have requested updates, Slusarczyk said.

"We can access things like never before," said Commissioner Jim Kordiak, looking intrigued.

Board chairman Dennis Berg was equally impressed.

"We've come a long way," he marveled.

Paul Levy • 612-673-4419