Public access to spatial data: Putting geographic information system data into the hands of neighborhood associations

Abstract

The public has a legislated right to access government data. Unfortunately, government data is often hard to acquire and difficult to analyze. Many governmental institutions have implemented geographic information systems (GIS) to solve these problems. Neighborhood associations serve as a conduit between local residents and public decision makers and are a primary public user of government data. These groups can benefit from access to spatial and tabular data maintained within publicly funded government GISs. Unfortunately, little direct public access to data maintained in these GISs is available and virtually no neighborhood association has the financial or technical capabilities to purchase GIS software and acquire the data themselves. This study analyzed the spatial data needs of four neighborhood associations in the Tucson community (Balboa Heights, Corbett, Flecha Caida, and Keeling), developed a public access system prototype, and tested it with members of the neighborhood associations.