REPORT TO COUNCIL
SUBJECT
Title
Informational Report Regarding Bi-Annual Project Status Report of the GIS Services Program
Report
COUNCIL PILLAR
Deliver and Enhance High Quality Efficient Services and Infrastructure.
BACKGROUND
On October 29, 2019, Arini Geographics was awarded a contract for enterprise GIS consulting services. In approving the contract, the City Council requested a bi-annual status report on GIS services. The contract was awarded as a three-year professional services agreement, with an additional two-year term option. The City has just completed the final year of the contract term on October 31, 2024, and a six-month extension is currently underway. A Request for Proposals (RFP) process for GIS professional services for a service provider and new contract term is in progress.
DISCUSSION
This enterprise information management system is a central tool for fostering collaboration across City departments by unifying data and integrating it with other essential business systems. Through enterprise GIS integrations, City-wide access to current information on parcels, streets, addresses, and ownership is ensured, promoting transparency, trust, and accountability. Additionally, GIS initiatives are designed with the public in mind, offering user-friendly interfaces and interactive maps that enhance engagement and responsiveness to the needs of residents and business owners.
The GIS program consists of two components-Projects and day-to-day operations. The following table provides a status update for each project which is then followed by a narrative summary.
|
Project |
Current Reporting Period Jun 2024-Nov 2024 |
Next Reporting Period Dec 2024-May 2025 |
|
Stadium Common Operational Picture (COP) Upgrade |
Completed |
|
|
Employee Web Map Viewer Upgrade infoMap 4.0 |
Completed |
|
|
Enterprise GIS Upgrade to ArcGIS 10.9.1 |
Completed |
|
|
Public Web Map Viewer Upgrade MapSantaClara |
Completed |
|
|
Retired Parcel Document Access via infoMap |
In Progress |
Completion Planned |
|
Storm Drain Digital Map Book Upgrade |
|
Completion Planned |
|
Parks and Recreation Asset Enhancement Project |
|
Completion Planned |
Projects Completed:
Stadium Common Operational Picture (COP) Upgrade: The COP is a comprehensive real-time web-based application providing multi-agency coordination and a shared view of stadium operations. This upgrade saw the addition of real-time officer tracking and integrated video feeds from City-managed drones. The GIS team operates the COP to provide live situational awareness critical to public safety for events at Levi’s Stadium.
Employee Web Map Viewer Upgrade infoMap 4.0: infoMap serves as a vital tool for streamlining access to GIS data layers. This internal web map viewer not only provides convenient web-based accessibility but also integrates essential one-click analysis tools, including generating mailing lists, locating addresses, parcels or creating property reports. This upgrade underscores the significance of preserving this access, ensuring its seamless functionality and efficiency for continued support of City operations.
Enterprise GIS Upgrade to ArcGIS 10.9.1: The Enterprise GIS serves as the central hub for storing, maintaining, and sharing all City-location data. As it is directly integrated with multiple business critical systems, it must be continuously maintained and improved. This upgrade was completed in a seamless manner, minimizing any potential disruption to essential City services. As a result, the enterprise system has increased capacity to deliver data to integrated business systems for asset management and permitting. It provides greater support for mobile map access for field teams, providing faster data services as demand grows due to new integrations and a larger user base. Moreover, robust failover systems and data redundancy strategies have been implemented to ensure business continuity in the event of unforeseen disruptions in service.
Public Web Map Viewer Upgrade MapSantaClara: MapSantaClara is the City’s public web mapping tool, essential for residents and prospective residents seeking comprehensive location data to create maps, property reports or assist with permitting. This upgrade focused on modernizing this tool to enhance its accessibility, scalability, and user experience, while robust data handling enhances security and system integrity. This initiative boosts public engagement and decision-making capabilities and ensures the tool’s adaptability to future technological changes, safeguarding the City’s investment in technology.
Projects currently in progress:
Retired Parcel Document Access via infoMap: This project enables quick location-based access to documents related to current and historical parcels through infoMap, leading to significant City staff productivity gains and better customer service. Per the request of the Community Development Department, integration will be implemented between infoMap and the Electronic Document Management System (Laserfiche) repository where City documents are stored. This integration will provide access to retired parcel documents which reside in Laserfiche but are not available through the City’s online permitting portal.
Planned projects over the next six months:
Storm Drain Digital Map Book Update: The City’s Storm Drain Digital Network and Map Books, used to manage and maintain the network, has not been updated since 2014. Maintaining storm drains is a critical component of City operations, especially before and during storm events. To prepare and improve the City’s response, the GIS team will update the network by editing the digital network to add in all the changes that have occurred over the last decade. To achieve this, the GIS team will review all available documents describing these improvements and digitally adjust the storm drain network. In addition, printed map books (used by field teams to maintain storm drains and pipes) will be created from the updated digital network. Finally, the improved storm drain system will be integrated into the Enterprise Asset Management program, making for better storm drain maintenance records and management activities.
Parks and Recreation Asset Enhancement Project: This project aims to enhance the operational efficiency and inventory management for the Parks and Recreation Department through strategic integration. It comprises two key components designed to streamline maintenance activities and enrich the asset database.
1. EAM Integration for Parks Maintenance: In collaboration with the Parks Maintenance Division, a preventative daily work order task will be incorporated into the Enterprise Asset Management Application. This integration is pivotal for automating routine maintenance, ensuring the timely execution of work orders, and optimizing resource allocation to maintain park amenities.
2. GIS Inventory Expansion: Over the past year, the City's infrastructure has expanded with the addition of numerous parks and significant upgrades featuring new amenities. These features need to be added to the GIS database so that these assets can be managed more efficiently, and work orders can be generated through Lucity, thereby streamlining operations for the Parks Department. This enhancement will improve planning, management, and enhance public access to information.
Day-to-Day Operations
The Enterprise GIS program enables City operations by consolidating, enriching, maintaining, and sharing hundreds of datasets for various City departments in the central database known as the Enterprise Geospatial Repository (EGR). Currently, the EGR houses over 280 unique geospatial and attribute layers, offering a comprehensive view of the City and its surrounding areas. These layers include diverse datasets, such as pipeline utilities, tree inventories, public safety resources, City facilities, General Plan data, and park assets, among others. The EGR underpins critical functions such as public safety, utility management, community development, parks maintenance, capital projects, and public engagement, with its goals achieved through real-time integrations with City systems and data-sharing partnerships.
Enterprise GIS has transformed day-to-day operations across departments citywide. For instance, infoMap is a crucial tool that almost every city department uses daily, integrating automated workflows to streamline tasks and improve efficiency. Additionally, MapSantaClara empowers the public to interact with City departments-such as filing permits-in an automated manner, saving City departments substantial time and resources. The Common Operating Picture (COP) tool enhances safety by assisting the Police Department through a comprehensive real-time web-based application.
In the Parks & Recreation Department, the GIS program has been instrumental in updating the integration scheme for parks assets and training City personnel to use Lucity map tools effectively, allowing for two-way asset editing. Furthermore, the collection and integration of all the City’s tree GIS data with the Enterprise Asset Management system exemplifies how GIS supports effective asset management and operational efficiency. The Enterprise GIS delivers significant business value by enhancing operational efficiency, improving service delivery, and supporting strategic planning across the City.
Enterprise GIS Basemap: At the heart of the Enterprise Geospatial Repository (EGR) is the Enterprise GIS Basemap, which includes essential data layers forming the foundation of the City’s geospatial information system. These foundational layers offer a wide range of critical information, such as addresses, streets, parcel data, ownership records, general plan and zoning designations, multi-year aerial imagery, and related attributes. These layers are vital to the City's daily operations, supporting activities like building permit processing, field work order management, environmental compliance, sustainability efforts, and key public safety functions, including 911 incident response. By providing robust and accessible geospatial data, the EGR strengthens the City’s efficiency, effectiveness, and its capacity to serve residents and stakeholders.
Statistics and information related to Enterprise GIS activities can be found in the attached updated infographic (Attachment 1).
System Updates and Data: Ongoing critical updates are essential to maintaining the security, functionality, and performance of our systems and are regularly implemented in the areas listed below.
MapSantaClara: A web-based application that provides tailored access and reporting functionality to the public (https://map.santaclaraca.gov). This popular application received over 34,000 visits over the current reporting period offering insights to the public on GIS-related data. It includes custom-built tools to help explore the attributes of each parcel.
Open Data Geospatial Portal: A web-based repository providing public access to GIS datasets, the Open Data Portal benefits the community by providing access to important datasets for mapping, analysis, and reporting (<https://public-gis-missioncity.opendata.arcgis.com/>).
Story Maps: Specialized web-based GIS interactive maps that facilitate information dissemination and increase the level of service to the public, including Development Projects (<http://santaclaraca.gov/devprojects>) and Live Traffic Cameras (<http://santaclaraca.gov/trafficcam>). By working with the Communications Team and Community Development Department, the Development Projects application is frequently updated to showcase how the City is growing.
Public Safety: GIS integrations and specialized datasets support both the Police and Fire Departments, with regular updates to maintain accuracy and functionality, including critical map data for the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system and police mobile data computers (MDCs). Recently, a significant update to the CAD map data was completed, ensuring enhanced location accuracy and faster response times. The GIS team also supports GPS functionality in all response vehicles, as well as central command capabilities for managing events at Levi’s Stadium and across the City.
Enterprise Permitting: The integration with the Enterprise Permit Management System enables location validation for over 500,000 existing permit records. This real-time connection ensures that accurate addresses and parcel numbers are readily available for searching and confirming the status of properties where citizens seek permits for construction or modifications to homes and businesses. By leveraging data stored in the Enterprise Geospatial Repository, all permits are validated, enhancing the accuracy and reliability of critical City records.
Enterprise Asset Management (EAM): The continued expansion of this successful program enhances the City’s record-keeping for maintenance, supports better stewardship of City-owned assets, and drives strategic resource management through mobile applications and dashboards. Due to its operational and maintenance benefits, the asset management and GIS systems have seen widespread adoption. With the recent inclusion of water meters and irrigation valves and the planned integration of the storm drain network, this program now supports work order and asset maintenance for Streets, Water and Sewer, Parks and Recreation, and multiple Engineering teams. Further expanding this integration will allow for seamless assignment of work orders across all City assets, enabling efficient tracking of maintenance activities. This advancement strengthens preventive maintenance initiatives and supports long-term infrastructure lifecycle management.
Regional GIS Collaboration and Coordination: The IT Department works closely with neighboring cities, the County of Santa Clara, and other government agencies to ensure timely data acquisition and regional information sharing. Through an ongoing agreement, the City receives updated high-resolution aerial imagery annually, serving as the foundational GIS layer for the City Basemap. Additionally, building footprints derived from this imagery are integrated into infoMap, the City’s web mapping application, allowing multiple departments to monitor changes in the built environment. This regional collaboration also provides access to high-resolution elevation data, known as LiDAR, which supports above- and below-ground engineering projects. The cost savings from this partnership enable regular data collection, facilitating more informed analysis, inspection, and planning efforts.
Real-Time Business System Integration: Real-time integration of Enterprise GIS data into City business systems through APIs allows departments to rely on up-to-date geographic information. By enabling real-time data sharing and collaboration, Enterprise GIS integration eliminates data silos, ensuring all departments access the most current information. Enterprise GIS is integrated with systems for permitting, Enterprise Asset Management, sewer inspections, and various public safety applications. Through these real-time API connections, the Enterprise GIS program enhances maintenance record-keeping for DPW Engineering, the Streets Division, Water and Sewer, and Parks and Recreation. With GPS-tagged asset data-covering water systems, playgrounds, and boulevard islands-field teams receive automatically generated daily maintenance tasks, log completed work, add notes or concerns, and create new work orders in real-time for unplanned maintenance. This efficient approach to asset management extends to public safety applications, where accuracy and timely information are crucial.
Steady State GIS: Maintained crucial City services by regularly updating the GIS dataset and Lucity EAM system for accurate data management and operational efficiency. This included monthly parcel ownership and address updates to support City planning and emergency services, ongoing maintenance of traffic signs for improved asset management and public safety, and continued support for the PLDA project to ensure reliable information access. Additionally, automated updates to general planning and zoning codes were implemented to increase efficiency, reduce manual errors, and align with the planning departments requirements.
GIS User Group: To facilitate greater communication and direct interaction with City users, the GIS team has established monthly user group meetings. These have yielded results in the form of new data layers being published, data issues being resolved, and fostering greater user engagement. Meetings have been attended by staff from Community Development, Public Works, Parks and Recreation, and Water and Sewer.
ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW
The action being considered does not constitute a “project” within the meaning of the California Environmental Quality Act (“CEQA”) pursuant to CEQA Guidelines section 15378(a) as it has no potential for resulting in either a direct physical change in the environment, or a reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no cost to the City associated with this report other than administrative time and expense.
PUBLIC CONTACT
Public contact was made by posting the Council agenda on the City’s official-notice bulletin board outside City Hall Council Chambers. A complete agenda packet is available on the City’s website and in the City Clerk’s Office at least 72 hours prior to a Regular Meeting and 24 hours prior to a Special Meeting. A hard copy of any agenda report may be requested by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (408) 615-2220, email clerk@santaclaraca.gov <mailto:clerk@santaclaraca.gov> or at the public information desk at any City of Santa Clara public library.
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Note and file the Bi-annual Status Report on the GIS Service Program.
Staff
Reviewed by: Gaurav Garg, Director of Information Technology / CIO
Approved by: Jovan D. Grogan, City Manager
ATTACHMENTS
1. Infographic - Enterprise GIS Program Activity