A geographic information system (GIS), or geographical information system, captures, stores, analyzes, manages, and displays geographic data. It allows the user to combine data and then analyze that data in an efficient manner, based on geographic location. It is a tool used in local government for various planning activities. Some municipalities have amended their zoning legislation and/or subdivision of land legislation to add a requirement that certain plans and maps be submitted in an electronic form in addition to traditional paper submissions. Other municipalities have adopted more comprehensive requirements on plan submissions that require electronic formats, including storage regulations for GIS data and maps and disclaimers for the accuracy of data. Several municipalities have established fees for costs incurred by the municipality to update its GIS database upon subdivision approval. Contact General Code for sample legislation on electronic submission of data.
Sample Ordinances*:
- Town of Hyde Park, NY – §§ 96-18E and 108-30.7H (L.L. No. 1-2008)
- City of Camden, NJ – Ch. 336
- Township of Freehold, NJ – Ch. 323
- Township of Lumberton, NJ – Ch. 129
- Village of Pleasant Prairie, WI – § 395-82
Town of Hyde Park, NY
Addition to Subdivision of Land Chapter:
E. For the purpose of maintaining accurate and current data for its records and for professional review by its consultants, and to evaluate such data in the context of a geographic information system, the Planning Board may, in its discretion, require that plans, maps and other data required for subdivisions under this chapter, and all updates and revisions to such plans, maps and data, be submitted in an electronic format in addition to the otherwise required paper submissions. [Added 2-25-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008]
(1) The Planning Board may waive the electronic format submission requirement for particular applications or types of applications where the electronic data would not be useful to the Board or its consultants in their review of the application.
(2) The Planning Board may from time to time specify the specific format and type of electronic submission it requires for each type of application.
(3) The Planning Board may waive the electronic format submission requirement upon a showing upon competent evidence that the requirement will cause the applicant substantial economic hardship.
Addition to Zoning Chapter:
H. For the purpose of maintaining accurate and current data for its records and for professional review by its consultants, and to evaluate such data in the context of a geographic information system, the Planning Board may, in its discretion, require that plans, maps and other data required for planned unit development, special use permit and site plan applications under this chapter, and all updates and revisions to such plans, maps and data, be submitted in an electronic format in addition to the otherwise required paper submissions. [Added 2-25-2008 by L.L. No. 1-2008]
(1) The Planning Board may waive the electronic format submission requirement for particular applications or types of applications where the electronic data would not be useful to the Board or its consultants in their review of the application.
(2) The Planning Board may from time to time specify the specific format and type of electronic submission it requires for each type of application.
(3) The Planning Board may waive the electronic format submission requirement upon a showing upon competent evidence that the requirement will cause the applicant substantial economic hardship.
City of Camden, NJ
Chapter 336
MAP, DRAWINGS AND OTHER DOCUMENTS, ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF
[HISTORY: Adopted by the City Council of the City of Camden 6-9-2005 by Ord. No. MC-4068. Amendments noted where applicable.]
§ 336-1. Required data.
A. In addition to any and all hard copy submissions already required for subdivision plans, site plans and certain permit applications, two copies of the digital data files outlined in the submission time frame section shall be submitted to the appropriate City of Camden department, board or agency or official for each project when required by said department, board or agency. All files must be submitted in CAD format (.dwg or .dxf file) or ESRI geodatabase format. Points, lines, polygons, annotations and legends shall be represented in separate layers as outlined in the minimum contents requirements section.
B. All electronic files must be created in New Jersey State Plane Coordinate System North American Datum 1983 (NAD 83), in US Survey FEET. All files shall not be rotated, so that North faces up to the top of the drawing.
C. All linework shall connect at line end points. Overlaps, gaps or dangles are not acceptable. Polygon objects, such as parcels or other boundaries, shall be created from line segments, connecting to adjacent linework at intersections. Single, closed polygons are not to be used where coincidental boundaries may occur. All text shall be clearly legible and not obscured by polygon boundaries/linework.
§ 336-2. Submission time frame.
All required digital files for property upgrades/changes/improvements, both permanent and final, shall be submitted to Camden City within 30 days of recordation of the final plat or parcel map. Upon acceptance of the improvements by City of Camden department, board or agency responsible for granting approval, the digital files for all public, private and site development upgrades, changes and/or improvements shall be submitted by the originating party. These digital files shall contain all information as shown on the approved hard copy plans, as well as any approved changes or revision, and any/all as-built information. Any proposed deviation from these guidelines shall be considered by the City of Camden department, board or agency responsible for granting approval on a case-by-case basis only.
§ 336-3. Minimum content requirements.
A. Project specific data. The following minimum information must be provided as outlined for each type of project referenced. Each item listed shall be represented as a separate layer in the electronic file.
(1) Signalization data: striping, traffic signs, traffic signals and legend.
(2) Contour data: contour lines and contour elevations.
(3) Grading data: street grade, top of curb elevations.
(4) Road data: right-of-way lines, street name(s), sign locations, center line locations, median island locations, sidewalk locations, crosswalk locations, retaining wall locations, sound barrier locations, driveway/gutter line locations, curblines, handicap ramp locations, traffic light locations, tree/shrub locations and legend.
(5) Surface data: water body locations, stream/drainage ditch locations, park locations, railroad locations, bike path/trail locations, well locations, aboveground storage tank locations and legend.
(6) Survey data: boundary line locations, monument locations, center line locations, lot/parcel boundaries, easement boundaries, easement description, control lines, block and lot number and legend.
(7) Utilities data: transmission line locations, pole locations, transformer locations, lateral locations, meter locations, valve locations, cleanout locations, manhole locations, catch basin locations, hydrant locations, culvert fencing locations, water line locations, sanitary sewer line locations, stormwater drainage facility locations and legend.
B. Metadata. All digital data will require an accompanying metadata (text) file. Metadata should be submitted in Federal Geospatial Data Convention (FGDC), which is the federal data standard. This file will be in ACSII file (.txt extension) format using the same naming convention as the individual project file being submitted. This file will contain the following minimum information:
(1) Project identifier (e.g., subdivision name, permit ID, easement location).
(2) Electronic file name and format.
(3) Draft date.
(4) Date.
(5) Contact name.
(6) Contact phone.
(7) Contact e-mail.
(8) Spatial location [block and lot number(s), street names, addresses, etc.].
(9) Short project description.
(10) Method information (explanation of assumptions used to determine subdivision or easement boundary lines. Indicate whether boundary lines reflect actual or legal lengths.).
§ 336-4. Data custodian.
A data custodian shall be appointed for the City of Camden. The custodian shall verify receipt of required digital files, forwarding one copy to the Municipal Clerk for archival and the other copy to the appropriate municipal body or official for approval/incorporation.
Township of Freehold, NJ
Chapter 323
TOPOGRAPHICAL MAPS
[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Freehold by Ord. No. O-86-36 (Ch. XIII-A of the Revised General Ordinances); amended in its entirety at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. III). Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
§ 323-1. Purpose.
The Township Committee of the Township of Freehold makes the following findings and determinations:
A. The Geographic Information System (GIS) data prepared in conjunction with the Monmouth County Geographic Information System data and the topographic maps of the Township of Freehold prepared by the Midlantic Aerial Surveyors, Inc., constitute valuable and irreplaceable property of the Township of Freehold; and
B. This GIS data and these maps constitute a valuable and irreplaceable record of the physical condition of the surface of the land in the Township at the time of the flight photograph; and
C. Careful supervision of the use and custody of the foregoing is necessary to prevent loss of or damage; and
D. The unsupervised handling of these maps will cause physical deterioration of the same and will expose the same to an unreasonable risk of damage, deterioration and destruction; and
E. The maps have been prepared in reproducible form on Mylar; and
F. The Township has facilities to make prompt accurate reproductions which will not expose these maps to any unreasonable risk of loss, damage, deterioration or destruction; and
G. The cost of the preparation of the GIS data and the topographical maps and the cost of supervision of the care and custody of the same and the cost of making prints has and will be paid out of general taxation, therefore, it is right and proper that fee for such prints and copies shall be established to recover these past and future costs, in advance, with the value of the information and data that such copies have, being based on a tile sheet basis.
§ 323-2. Custody of maps.
The Township Engineer shall be and is hereby charged with the custody, safekeeping, care, control and use of the hereinabove specified maps.
§ 323-3. Use and storage regulations.
The following regulations are established to govern the storage and use of said GIS data and maps and shall be enforced by the Township Engineer:
A. The GIS data and maps shall be kept in secured files.
B. No one shall remove any GIS data or map from the office of the Township Engineer.
C. No one shall make any tracing or copy by any other method of any such map.
D. During normal office hours, on request, the Township Engineer or his designate may expose to view in the office of the Township Engineer any single sheet of the aforesaid maps without releasing or surrendering physical possession of same without charge or other fee.
E. During normal business hours, on written request and payment of proper fees as herein established, the Township Engineer or his designate shall reproduce and deliver the requested GIS data in digital or printed copies of any of the foregoing digital data or maps and receive a receipt therefor which shall contain over the recipient's signature the following statement:
"The undersigned, for and in consideration of the above specified copies of digital data or maps at a scale of one inch equals 100 feet property of the Township of Freehold, in the County of Monmouth, agrees that I or my agents will not reproduce, sell, assign or transfer any copies thereof, that I and/or my agents will not sell, transfer or assign the above specified requested copies and that I and/or my agents will not permit, suffer or allow the sale, assignment or transfer of the above specified copies nor the sale, assignment or transfer of copies thereof during the next 10 years, except that I may transfer or assign to a subsequent purchaser a copy of any portion of digital data or map which I have purchased or legally received, which depicts property I own and have contracted to sell to another."
In addition, the Township Engineer shall require that each digital data or print delivered as aforesaid shall bear the recipient's signature under the following statement:
"The undersigned, for and in consideration of the receipt of this copy of digital data or map of a part of the Township of Freehold agrees that the undersigned will not sell, assign or transfer this copy, will not sell, assign or transfer a reproduction of this copy and will not suffer, allow or permit the sale, assignment or transfer thereof of any copy or reproduction thereof, except that I may transfer or assign to a subsequent purchaser a copy of any portion of the digital data or map which I have purchased or legally received, which depicts property I own and have contracted to sell to another."
In addition, each print delivered as aforesaid shall bear or be clearly stamped with the following:
"The sale, assignment or transfer of this digital data or map or of any portion or transfer of any copy or reproduction of any portions of this map is prohibited; and any such action will, upon conviction in the Freehold Township Municipal Court, subject the individual to the penalties established by law, except that a purchaser may transfer or assign a copy of any portion of this digital data or map to a purchaser of property which is depicted on the map."
§ 323-4. Sale of prints prohibited; exception.
No person who obtains a print of any sheet or portion of a sheet of the aforesaid digital data or map shall sell, assign or transfer or permit, suffer or allow the sale, assignment or transfer or permit, suffer or allow the sale, assignment or transfer of such reproduction or copy thereof or the sale, assignment or transfer or any portion thereof or the sale, assignment or transfer of any reproduction or copy of a portion thereof, except to a purchaser of property which is depicted on the map.
§ 323-5. Application for copies.
All applications for copies of the aforesaid maps shall be made to the Township Engineer in writing.
§ 323-6. Fees.
A. All fees herein established shall be paid to the Engineer prior to the delivery of the requested prints of such maps or any portion thereof.
B. There shall be a charge as provided in Chapter 150, Fees, for each digital tile or printed map or any portion thereof of a digital tile or printed map.
§ 323-7. Loan of data or maps.
It may be in the public interest and permissible to lend, without charge, copies of the digital data or maps to agencies of the federal, state or county governments whenever there will be a benefit to the Township of Freehold. The free loan of said digital data or maps to other public agencies shall be accomplished by filing a written application to the Township Clerk with a copy to the Township Engineer who shall comply with the request with due dispatch following approval by the Township Committee.
§ 323-8. Disclaimer.
A. The Township of Freehold does not certify the accuracy of the digital data or topographical mapping prepared from the aerial photographs taken and does not insure the accuracy of same nor the acceptance of same by the Township or any of its authorities or agencies.
B. Each digital data tile or print delivered as aforesaid shall bear or be clearly stamped with the following: "Accuracy of this digital data or map subject to field check by recipient."
§ 323-9. Violations and penalties.
Any person who knowingly violates any provisions of this chapter shall be subject to the penalties provided in Chapter 1, Article II, General Penalty.
Township of Lumberton, NJ
Chapter 129
DEVELOPMENT MAPS AND PLANS
ARTICLE I
Tax Map and GIS Database Update Fees
[Adopted 6-10-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-8]
§ 129-1 Purpose.
It is the purpose of this article to impose upon developers the costs incurred by Lumberton Township in updating the municipal tax map/GIS database as a result of the approval of various subdivisions or the creation of any new lots within Lumberton Township. Said costs are directly related to the development procedure, and thereby Lumberton Township determines that they should be borne by the developer/applicant for all said subdivisions.
§ 129-2 Costs to be borne by applicant and/or developer.
Each applicant and/or developer, for any approval which results in the creation of any new lots, revision of any existing lots and/or other alterations to the tax map/GIS database, shall be responsible for paying all reasonable charges incurred by the Lumberton Township Engineer in updating said tax map/GIS database. These costs shall include, but not be limited to, update to the GIS database, revisions to existing tax map plates, creation/addition of new tax map plates, appropriate revisions to the Key Map(s), reprographic services for applicable Township, county and state submission copies, as well as any reasonable shipping and handling fees involved.
§ 129-3 Escrow account for maintenance; costs.
Once final subdivision and/or new lot approval has been received, an escrow account shall be established by the applicant and maintained by Lumberton Township for the express purpose of maintaining the tax map/GIS database. No construction permit shall be issued until said costs are posted with Lumberton Township, as outlined below:
A. Minor subdivisions (five lots or less): $65 per lot.
B. Major subdivisions are further broken down as follows:
(1) Per-lot costs.
| Number of Lots | Cost per Lot |
|---|---|
| 1 to 25 | $45 |
| 26 to 75 | $40 |
| 76 to 125 | $35 |
| 126 to 175 | $30 |
| 176 or more | $25 |
(2) Per commercial site plan: $800.
(3) Per condominium site plan: $1,000 plus $20 per unit for residential condominium projects.
(4) For each lot/tax map revision due to deed discrepancies, lot line adjustments, easement detailing, ownership labeling, acreage calculation and labeling, street name changes and other minor revisions: $45 per lot or per change.
§ 129-4 Refunds.
A. If any portion of the escrow account remains unused following the appropriate revisions to the tax map/GIS database, it shall be refunded to the applicant.
B. In the event that any application for development is denied and the application is no longer pending before the respective board, then any portion of the aforementioned fee which has not been expended by the engineer responsible for maintaining the tax map/GIS database shall be refunded to the applicant.
§ 129-5 Map to be submitted.
In addition to the maintenance fees noted, each approved applicant must supply a map of the new subdivision or new lot in a scale suitable for inclusion on the Lumberton Township tax map/GIS database. Said map must be submitted in both electronic and hard copy formats and must be compliant with current New Jersey Map Filing Law guidelines (N.J.S.A. 46:23-1). All electronic file submissions must also conform to the Lumberton Township electronic files submission ordinance.
ARTICLE II
Electronic File Submission Standards
[Adopted 6-10-2008 by Ord. No. 2008-9]
§ 129-6 Required data.
A. In addition to any/all hard copy submissions already required of all map and plan materials currently being submitted to the Township of Lumberton, a digital graphics file containing the data outlined in § 129-7 shall also be submitted with each project. All files must be submitted in a .dwg or .dxf file format.
B. All electronic files must be created in New Jersey State Plane Coordinate System North American Datum 1983 (NAD 83), in US Survey Feet.
C. All linework shall connect at line end points. Overlaps, gaps or dangles are not acceptable. Polygon objects, such as parcels or other boundaries, shall be created from line segments, connecting to adjacent linework at intersections. Single, closed polygons are not to be used where coincidental boundaries may occur. All text shall be clearly legible and not obscured by polygon boundaries/linework.
§ 129-7 Submission timeframe .
All digital files for proposed property upgrades/changes/improvements shall be submitted to the Township of Lumberton within 45 days of recordation of the final plat or parcel map. Upon acceptance of the improvements by the Land Development Board, the digital files for all public, private and site development, upgrades, changes and/or improvements shall be submitted by the originating party. These digital files shall contain all information as shown on the approved, hard copy plans, as well as any approved changes or revision, and any/all as-built information. Any proposed deviation from these guidelines shall be considered by the Land Development Board on a case-by-case basis only.
§ 129-8 Minimum content requirements.
The following minimum information must be provided as outlined for each type of project referenced:
A. Signalization data: striping, traffic signs, traffic signals, legend.
B. Contour data: contour lines and contour elevations.
C. Grading data: street grade, top of curb elevations.
D. Road data: right-of-way lines, street name(s), sign locations, center line locations, median island locations, sidewalk locations, retaining wall locations, sound barrier locations, driveway/gutter line locations, curblines, handicap ramp locations, traffic light locations, tree/shrub locations, legend.
E. Surface data: water body locations, stream/drainage ditch locations, park locations, railroad locations, bike path/trail locations, well locations, aboveground storage tank locations, legend.
F. Survey data: boundary line locations, monument locations, center line locations, lot/parcel boundaries, easement locations, control lines, legend.
G. Utilities data: transmission line locations, pole locations, transformer locations, lateral locations, meter locations, valve locations, cleanout locations, manhole locations, catch basin locations, hydrant locations, culvert/culvert fencing locations, water line locations, sanitary sewer line locations, stormwater drainage facility locations, legend.
Village of Pleasant Prairie, WI
§ 395-82. Engineering plans and specifications.
A. he engineering plans and specifications, including cross sections and details, set out below are required and shall be submitted for review and approval by the Village Board, with the advice and recommendation of the Village staff, before final approval of any proposed final plat, certified survey map, or development plan is granted by the Village Board (or before final approval of any site and operational plan is granted by the Village Plan Commission or Village Zoning Administrator under § 420-56 of the Village Code). The plans should be presented in blueprint or Mylar as well as on electronic media acceptable to the Village and compatible with the Village's Geographic Information System format as outlined below: [Amended 5-7-2007 by Ord. No. 07-20]
(1) Point, line and polygon information
(a) Data shall be delivered in vector format. The preferred format is ESRI Shape files. Other acceptable formats include AutoCAD DXF, Microstation DGN, Intergraph IGDS, MapInfo MIF, ESRI Arc/Info Coverages, and ESRI Interchange files. Scanned images and raster files shall not be submitted for this type of data.
(b) The coordinates in the data set shall be projected to the Wisconsin State Plane South Coordinate System based on the NAD27 Datum.
(c) Exceptions will be considered to these rules on a case-by-case basis. Written approval for any exceptions shall be obtained from the Village at the start of the project.
(2) Orthophotography, satellite imagery, digital photos and other electronic images.
(a) Images shall be delivered in an uncompressed TIFF file. If the image is not in this format, other image types can be considered, including MrSID and JPG files, by the Village on a case-by-case basis.
(b) The images shall be spatially aware. In other words, the image will know where it is located in the real world. Images shall be projected to the Wisconsin State Plane South Coordinate System based on the NAD27 Datum.
(c) Exceptions will be considered to these rules on a case-by-case basis. Written approval for any exceptions shall be obtained from the Village at the start of the project.
B. The Village shall place its certification of such approval on each of the following plans, which shall be permanently kept on file by the Village Community Development Department:
(1) Street plans, profiles, and specifications showing existing and proposed grades and the location, elevation and cross sections of all required street, curb and gutter and sidewalk improvements.
(2) Sanitary sewerage system facilities plans and specifications showing the location, grade, size, elevation and materials of all required sanitary sewerage system facilities and improvements.
(3) Storm sewer and drainage system plans and specifications showing the location, grade, size, cross section, elevation, and materials of all required stormwater management facilities and improvements.
(4) Water supply and distribution system facilities plans and specifications showing the location, size, elevation and materials of all required water system facilities and improvements.
(5) Grading and drainage plans showing existing and proposed topographic contours, mass grading and detailed plans, earthwork balance calculations, proposed top of foundation and finished yard grade elevations, and such supplemental information as is determined on a case-by-case basis.
(6) Erosion and sedimentation control plans showing and describing in detail the structures, methods, practices and procedures that will be utilized to prevent or minimize erosion and sedimentation, as well as the schedule for implementing each aspect of such plans. Such plans shall generally follow the guidelines and standards set forth in the publication the United States Department of Agriculture Conservation Technical Guide, prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture Soil Conservation Service, and the Wisconsin Construction Site Best Management Practice Handbook, prepared by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Said plans shall also comply with the Wisconsin Administrative Code requirements, as may be amended.
(7) Landscaping plans showing and describing in detail the location, size and species of any proposed trees, shrubs or other vegetation, as well as any related berms or other site work, and a detailed schedule for implementing each aspect of such plan. (See § 395-84 of this chapter regarding required tree protection.)
(8) Detailed breakdown by the divider's/developer's engineer of specifications and quantities based upon the approved engineering plans.
(9) Additional special plans or information as required by the Village staff, Village Plan Commission or Village Board to clarify planning, engineering or design aspects of the proposed land division or its development.
