The Strategic Plan for Massachusetts' Spatial Data Infrastructure presents a vision for a coordinated approach to spatial information use in Massachusetts.
The plan was developed with guidance from a Steering Committee representing the many stakeholders in Massachusetts' spatial data infrastructure. In addition, extensive contributions were made by nearly 300 individuals through a series of six workshops as well as through 22 interviews and meetings with management and other staff representing public, private, non-profit, and academic organizations. MassGIS' staff would like to express their sincere appreciation for the time and thoughtful suggestions and comments that all these individuals contributed as the plan was being developed. Ideas and issues contributed during the workshops, interviews, and meetings heavily influenced all aspects of the plan. The strategic plan compiles information about the status of GIS in Massachusetts, describes a vision for spatial data infrastructure, and provides eight recommendations for the development and maintenance of the four most widely used and important map "layers" in this shared infrastructure:
- Develop regular three-year update cycle for aerial photography.
- Develop improved statewide elevation data.
- Standardize and improve the process for updating the statewide roads data.
- Development of a statewide parcel data layer.
- Develop a statewide address point data layer.
- Aggressively pursue federal grant funds to support statewide critical infrastructure data development. (Since this report was prepared, EOPS has requested this type of funding in their Homeland Security funding application.)
- Strengthen GIS technical support provided to local government via regional entities.
- Explore the further evolution of MassGIS’s organization model and governance structure.
We are providing three documents for download (in PDF format - requires the free Adobe Acrobat Reader software or plug-in):
- the
FULL PLAN
file size 4MB
- the
EXTENDED SUMMARY file size 1MB
- the
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
789Kb
Interviews and Meetings
The following individuals participated in interviews or meetings in which the strategic plan project was presented and their concerns, ideas, and comments were solicited. Some of these individuals are no longer in the positions listed below.
Organization Individuals Metropolitan Area Planning Council Marc Draisen, Executive Director Holly St. Clair, Data Center Manager Allan Bishop, GIS Manager Massachusetts Board of Real Estate Appraisers Sean Fitzgerald, President Bill Pastuszek, past MBREA President UMASS-Amherst Steve Mabee, State Geologist, Geology Department Jack Ahern, Landscape Architecture and Regional Planning Qian Yu - Assistant Professor, Department of Geosciences Maxine Schmidt, Integrated Science and Engineering Library State Police, Commonwealth Fusion Center Major Dermot Quinn, Commanding Officer Sergeant Bob Sojka, Point of Contact for Critical Infrastructure in Massachusetts Brian Egnitz, GIS Program Coordinator Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency John Tommaney, Response and Recovery Branch Chief Scott McCloud, Mitigation Grants Manager Rob Sousa, Planner Johanna Meyer, GIS Coordinator Office of the Governor David Simas, Deputy Chief of Staff Registers of Deeds under Secretary of the Commonwealth All Registers of Deeds reporting to the Secretary Division of Capital Asset Management H. Peter Norstrand, Deputy Commissioner, Real Estate Marc Nelson, Deputy Commissioner, Facilities Management Stephen Andrews, Deputy Directory, Real Estate Bill Tivnan, Director of the Office of Finance Michael Orcutt, System Administrator Linda Alexander, Program Coordinator Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Steve Estes-Smargiasi, Director of Planning Daniel Nvule, Sr. Program Manager Glenn Hazelton, GIS Database Administrator Pakyen Lim, Program Manager Executive Office of Environmental Affairs Jane Corr, Chief of Staff Phil Griffith, Deputy Secretary for Environment Bob Wilbur, Chief Information Officer Information Technology Division Bethann Pepoli, Acting CIO Stewart Lecky, Chief Operating Officer Conservation Organizations Jennifer Ryan, Assistant Director of Legislative Affairs, Mass. Audubon Jeff Collins, GIS Manager, Mass. Audubon Andrew Finton, Director of Conservation Science, The Nature Conservancy Katie Andrews, GIS Manager, The Nature Conservancy Vincent Antil, GIS Manager, Trustees of Reservations James DeNormandy, GIS Specialist, DFG-Department of Forestry Phil Trusdale, MassWildlife David Kimball, GIS Analyst, Department of Conservation and Recreation MassPort George Ditullio, GIS Specialist US EPA - Region I Mike McDougall, Chief, Information Management Alexandra Dichter, GIS Manager Tom Giffen, GIS Technical Coordinator Massachusetts National Guard Kevin Bartsch, GIS Manager Massachusetts Association of Land Surveyors and Civil Engineers Ken Anderson, President, MALSCE Mike Haulon, President, ACEC Scott Cameron, Cameron and Associates Rich Gosselin, Northeast Engineers and Consultants David Humphrey, Schofield Brothers of New England Massachusetts Licensed Site Professionals Association David R. McDonald, President Environmental Business Council - Technology Committee Michael Hamilton, Harris Miller Miller and Hansen, Inc. Mark Maguire, Epsilon Associates Gregory Rowe, ESS Group, Inc. Executive Office of Transportation and Public Works Ken Miller, Director (at time of interview) Bureau of Transportation Planning Mark Berger, Data Resources Manager USDA-Natural Resource Conservation Service Christine Clarke, State Conservationist Barbara Miller, GIS Analyst Executive Office of Environment and Energy Brian Brodeur, GIS Manager, Department of Environmental Protection Steve McRae, Acting CIO and GIS Manager, Department of Fish and Game Nathanael Lloyd, GIS Manager, Department of Conservation and Recreation Daniel Sampson, GIS Coordinator, Office of Coastal Zone Management
