Abstract

Updated Statewide Land Use Data Using Semi-automated Methods
Track: State and Local Government
Author(s): Christian Jacqz, Sudha Maheshwari

The users of GIS in the State of Massachusetts draw on land use data to support many types of management and planning decisions. Therefore, the State has periodically updated their land use dataset to reflect changes in landscape. These updates have historically been done manually using photo-interpretation. In 2006, MassGIS contracted with Sanborn to update the land use using semi-automated methods. This process allows users to get an updated dataset that is timely and consistent and at much lower costs than the manual approach. This presentation will discuss the semi-automated data and its strengths and weaknesses, how it is developed and how it is being used by various GIS users. As a result of this project, new areas of development are being identified; development trends are being quantified across the state and the impacts of these changes is being discussed.

Christian Jacqz
MassGIS
251 Causeway Street
Suite 500
Boston , Massachusetts 02114
United States
Phone: 617-626-1056
E-mail: christian.jacqz@state.ma.us

Sudha Maheshwari
Sanborn
455 E. Eisenhower Parkway
Suite 240
Ann Arbor , Michigan 48108
United States
Phone: 734-213-1060
E-mail: smaheshwari@sanborn.com