Final Project

Final project for GIS 4048.  Having been a basic user of ArcMap for three years now, I never saw it as much more than a map making tool.  I knew it could do more, but the knowledge of how was missing.  Through the course of this certificate, I now realize the potential of the software I use on a daily basis and can't wait to unleash it for the beast that it is.

My final project was a weighted overlay analysis for a newly retired couple as they chose to relocate to Polk County Florida.

http://students.uwf.edu/jdw47/gis4048/JessicaWilliams_FinalProject.ppt

http://students.uwf.edu/jdw47/gis4048/JessicaWilliams_Summary.pdf

Location Decisions: Homing in on Alachua County

This week we learned about using the Weighted Analysis tool to help in decision making by ranking specific attributes and then "weighing" them against one another.  Map 1 is just a basic basemap of Alachua County, Florida.

Map 1

Map 2 is the setup for the weighted analysis.  Each of the four criteria are ranked and converted to a raster file.

Map 2

Map 3 is the results of our weighted analysis.  The left map was created using equal weights for each of the criteria.  In the right map, the weights were altered giving more priority to the distances from NFRMC and UF.

Map 3

Urban Planning: GIS for Local Government

Environmental Impact Analysis map

Scenario 1: Zuko Parcel

Scenario 2: Vacant county property selection

Urban Planning: Parcel Assessment Pt2

Q5: Which accounts do you think need review based on land value and what you've learned about assessment?

Odd shaped parcels are undevelopable parcels and therefore would not need review.  As the majority of parcels fall into the value of $27,075, any value outside of that should be considered for review.  A number of factors, like slope, vegetation, or watershed, could cause the property value to vary.  Being it is Florida, slope may not be much of a consideration, however the further north one goes, this could certainly be a factor.  Vegetation and watershed would be major considerations in Florida land assessments however.

Urban Planning:Parcel Assessment Pt1

Q1: Does your property appraiser offer a web mapping site? If so, what is the web address? If not, what is the method in which you may obtain the data?

Yes.  http://www.cowetatax.com/.  I used this site almost daily prior to our GPS collection project to determine tax districts and parcel lines.

Q2: What was the selling price of this property? What was the previous selling price of this property (if applicable)? Take a screen shot of the description provided to include with this answer.

 The records for all of 2013 do not show pricing.  The month of June showed zero sales and the page indicates that it was last updated on June 21, 2013.  The first month with pricing data was December 2012.  The highest property sold was a newly constructed assisted living facility for $20,018,200.  The property previously sold for $884,750, in 2008.

Q3: What is the assessed land value? Based on land record data, is the assessed land value higher or lower than the last sale price? Include a screen shot.

The current assessed land value is $878,706. This value is ~$14,000 less than the previous sale value of $884,750, in 2008.

Q4: Share additional information about this piece of land that you find interesting. Many times, a link to the deed will be available providing more insight to the sale.

No link to the deed was available, but I found it interesting that the total values (land, improvement, & accessory) totaled $4,607,405.00, yet the sale value was $20,018,200.  

Homeland Security: Protect

On April 15, 2013 the 117th running of the Boston Marathon took place in Boston Massachusetts. The race started like any other, but the ending of the race was cut short by two explosions that took place near the finish line a couple of hours after the winners had crossed.  The two explosions killed three and wounded hundreds of race participants and spectators.  Many interviews after the fact attested to the fact that the city of Boston had planned and prepared for disasters.  The close proximity of many area hospitals, no doubt saved many lives.  The location of the then closest facilities are shown in Map 1.

Map 1

How the two suspects, Chechen immigrant brothers, Dzhokhar and Tamerlan Tsarnaev, were able to place the pressure cooker bombs unnoticed remains unclear.  What is known that bag checks were not conducted near the finish line.  Using Esri selection tools, Boston PD and race organizers can determine the best places to place security check points for future events.  Map 2 shows a 500 ft buffer around the finish line and the points where that buffer intersects with local roads.

Map 2

Also critical to any surveillance operation is line of sight observation.  Esri 3D Analyst extension allows the user to create line of sight visuals that can aid in the placement of roof top and street level observation points. The hillshade tool can be used in conjunction with the U.S. Naval Observatory Astronomical Applications Department to determine where shadows and non-visible areas may occur throughout the day.  Using the Sun or Moon Altitude/Azimuth Table, planners can find the azimuth and altitude of the sun at a particular time of day to create a model of shaded areas.  This model can then be used to determine what areas are visible form selected surveillance point.  Furthermore, the line of sight tool can be used to determine exactly which areas of a line of sight are obstructed.  These three elements are depicted in Map 3.

Map 3

Homeland Security: DC Crime

Things are moving right along in GIS 4048.  This week we moved on from natural disasters and onto Homeland Security.  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) was created shortly after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.  Today, the DHS is tasked with the protection of the United States and it's territories in the event of a terrorist attack, man-made disaster, and natural disasters.  According to the DHS website, their mission statement says "The vision of homeland security is to ensure a homeland that is safe, secure, and resilient against terrorism and other hazards."  DHS shares it responsibilities with the citizens of the US, ensuring that every town, city, and state is prepared for such disasters.  This week we are focusing on the city of Washington D.C. and how GIS benefits it in the area of crime.

Map 1 is a depiction of all reported crimes for the month of January 2011.  The bar graph helps to illustrate the number of crimes.

Map 1

Map 2 uses spatial analysis to show the number of crimes committed in each police station precinct.  This type of analysis can aid the department in determining where new police stations might be needed.

Map 2

Map 3 shows a side by side comparison of specific crime density as determined using the Kernel Density tool.

Map 3

Case Study - Better Policing through Analysis: Ogden Police Take Advantage of GIS in Real Time

Title:  Case Study - Better Policing through Analysis: Ogden Police Take Advantage of GIS in Real Time Crime Center

Author:  Jessica Williams

Date:  6/20/2013

            In the city of Ogden, Utah, the Ogden Police Department (OPD) is tasked with the suppression, detection and investigation of crime; however, they also wanted a way to identify areas where crimes might occur based on previous crime patterns and reports.  For over a decade now, the OPD had been using a combination of Esri GIS software, CAD, and collected data to track where crime was committed in the city.  They collected data from various other departments, but were only analyzing data on a monthly basis.  This analysis was given to the upper command to further analyze the information to determine needs.  All of the pieces need where in place; however they were not being used in an efficient manner.  To further enhance law enforcement capability throughout the force, the Real Time Crime Center (RTCC) was developed to bring data from all departments into one place, making it available for those analysts in the office, and providing a means for disseminating that analysis to those officers out on the streets, giving them real-time statistics on a daily basis.

            Microsoft Fusion Core Solution (FCS) was used to combine all the data from the various departmental sources, including local warrants, criminal history, jail data, property information, affidavits and more.  And, since FCS was developed in collaboration with Esri, the data stored is easily available to display using standard mapping sources.  With data combined in one place now, the analyst in the RTCC  have created automatic queries to run and can use the existing crime data, surveillance cameras, and vehicle tracking data in conjunction with Esri ArcMap to identify crime hot spots.  By identifying these hot spots, the OPD can focus on where to station patrol cars and increase police presence in the higher crime areas.  Hot spots may vary depending on the time day and through the use of the automatic queries, these changing hot spots can be identified in an efficient manner.

            In conclusion, the Ogden Police Department was able to take information previously collected and analyzed on a monthly basis and through the use of Esri software and servers, ArcGIS online, Microsoft Fusion Core Solution and Microsoft SharePoint servers, disseminate analyzed, real time data and information to the decision makers in the office and to the officers in the field.  Real time data dissemination allows the OPD to make informed decisions when it comes to protecting its citizens.

Hurricane Sandy

This week we focused our study on the natural hazard of hurricanes, specifically Hurricane Sandy which struck the eastern seaboard of New Jersey and New York City on October 29, 2012.  Hurricane Sandy, while only a Category 1 hurricane, was a very large storm.  At its maximum size, it reached across 870 nautical miles (1.15 nautical miles = 1 mile).  My first map this week shows the path that Tropical Storm/Hurricane Sandy took from its formation in the Caribbean Sea to its landfall on the eastern seaboard.

My second map this week shows a before and after section of Toms River Township, NJ.  Damage assessment was determined using the Swipe tool in ArcMap.

Japan Tsunami

On March 11, 2011, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake centered just off the coast north east Japan created a tsunami that resulted in massive destruction of both property and lives.  Perhaps the most dangerous result of the tsunami was the damage and subsequent nuclear disaster that occurred at the Fukushima II nuclear power plant.  This weeks lab depicts the evacuation areas that were directly affected by the meltdown.  I really enjoyed making this map.  It allowed me to learn more the disaster and how GIS is used to assist in the recovery.

Natural Hazards: Lahars

Back in the swing of GIS all day, every day.  This weeks topic started our coverage of natural hazards, specifically lahars.  Of course, the first thing I had to do was Google lahars to find out they are a type of mud flow of rocks, debris and water that are the result of an erupting volcano that typically flow in river valleys and can be very catastrophic.   Now that we know what a lahar is, lets move onto this weeks maps.  My first map (Map 1) depicts the digital elevation of Mt Hood in Oregon along with the streams that surround it and form as the basis of potential lahar paths.

Map 1

Map 2 shows the population and schools that would be directly affected by the potential lahars.

Map 2

FuturaGIS -- GIS Application in the Utility Industry

                FuturaGIS is an ESRI ArcMap based application that was developed by FuturaSystems, Inc.  for use in the electric utility industry.  FuturaGIS allows the end user (the electric company) to not only see where their electric distribution lines run, but also show point locations of additional facilities such as transformers, switches, poles and meters. 

                GIS in the utility industry accomplishes many tasks.  First and foremost, it serves as a map of the system.  Unlike a paper map, electronic maps can be updated daily giving line crews a complete and accurate view of the system.  Through the use of attribute data, engineers can determine where specific customers or facilities lie.  They can plan for right of way clearances by measuring the length of primary conductor line or by importing vegetation layers.  Engineers can balance the electric load by using calculations to determine the number customers using a power source and locating the proper places to install protective devices.

                As a GIS administrator of an electric cooperative, an application such as FutursGIS is of interest to me because it allows me, as administrator to assist my company in making informed, analytical decisions that create a more stable electric network for our members.  By advancing my knowledge of both ArcGIS and an application such as FuturaGIS, I would like to further my understanding of electric distribution and network analysis as it pertains to the electric utility industry.