Amherst GIS News

Parking Made Easier

2011-12-13T12:39:00.000-05:00

We've recently overhauled www.amherstma.gov/parking to make it easier than ever to find information about parking in Amherst Center. This coincides with the introduction of Amherst's new "Pay by space" parking meters, which have been installed in several parking areas. The new parking meters have some nice features, including payment by credit card or cell phone. We have also embedded a simple interactive parking map, powered by ArcGIS.com, which makes it easier to learn about the best places to park. Links to mobile & downloadable versions of the parking map are also included.

Happy Parking!

-Mike

Larger Map | Mobile Map | Download a Printable Map (PDF)

Amherst Official Zoning Map Goes Digital

2011-11-10T14:01:00.000-05:00

Amherst Town Meeting on Wednesday November 9, 2011 voted in favor of modernizing the Official Amherst Zoning Map, replacing the current set of paper maps that constitute the Official Amherst Zoning Map with a digital GIS-based Official Amherst Zoning Map. This change will go into effect as soon as it is approved by the Massachusetts Attorney General and it will immediately make it much easier to make inquiries about zoning in Amherst. The existing official zoning map set uses a basemap that is from a combination of sources, dating back to a 1972 town basemap and a 1956 town basemap. Elements of the existing official zoning map, including property lines, have not been updated for more than 15 years, making it difficult to determine the zoning of some properties.

The new official zoning map is a part of the Town's Geographic Information System, allowing the map to be easily updated and shared as web-based dynamic map services, printed maps and as PDF documents. Information that was previously only available within Amherst Town Hall during business hours will now be available anytime via multiple mediums, including mobile devices and smart phones. Of course, paper copies of the Official Zoning Map will still be available at the Planning Department & Town Clerks Offices at the Amherst Town Hall.

The Town of Amherst established a Geographic Information System in the late 1990's and a set of "unofficial" zoning layers was established at that time. However, there were pieces of information that could not be accurately transcribed into a digital format until very recently. Specifically, the Flood Prone Conservancy (FPC) zoning district, based upon elevations, was very difficult to accurately map until the Town of Amherst's 2009 basemap became available. The 2009 basemap included an extremely detailed terrain model that made it possible to generate one-foot interval elevation contours in a vertical datum that matches the one used when the FPC zoning district was established in the mid 1970s. The result is an FPC district that is more accurately mapped than ever before and which is part of a much more accessible Official Zoning Map.

The old official zoning maps were scanned and georectified as part of the process of modernizing the zoning map layers. The maps lined up very nicely with the current basemap. Above is a view from East Amherst at the intersection of Belchertown Road and Gatehouse Road.

The scanned old official zoning map, current basemap and the new official zoning layers
(zoning boundaries in brown and FPC stream setbacks in red)

The new soon-to-be Official Zoning Map can be browsed in the map below, in the Amherst GIS Viewer or via smart phones and other mobile devices.

View Larger Map

Introducing The Amherst GIS Gallery

2011-11-03T14:24:00.000-04:00

GIS Data is a valuable public resource and we take pride in ensuring that it is available for the public good. Most of the Amherst GIS Data has been available for download or extraction since late 2010, but we recently decided to make it even easier to find via a new interface that we are calling The Amherst GIS Gallery. This provides a launching point for getting the following Amherst GIS data:

Property Parcels
2009 Basemap & 1999 Basemap
2009 Topography
2009 LiDAR (full detail or bare earth LAS files)
2009 1/4' resolution Color Orthophotos
Protected Land & Trails
Tree Points & Tree Inventory Data
Zoning

Additionally, The Amherst GIS Gallery provides some great ways to navigate the various web & mobile maps that we've published on Esri's ArcGIS.com. These maps are built upon the same data and map services as the Amherst GIS Viewer and can be embedded into any website as dynamic content.

The Amherst GIS Gallery was built using Esri's Public Maps Gallery Template 1.3.1. We are grateful to have such thoroughly well designed resources available to make it easier for everyone to get at our data and maps!

Happy Mapping,

-Mike

How to Get Amherst GIS Data

2011-01-18T13:27:00.001-05:00

Amherst GIS has been online since 2006 providing simple ways for you to map your community, but until recently we did not have an effective way to provide our GIS data layers for actual download. With the release of a brand new AmherstMA.gov site at the close of 2010, the primary goal was to provide easier access to almost every type of information that the Town works with. In this spirit, we have unveiled some new self-service options for getting Amherst GIS Data via our new Get Amherst GIS Data resource page. Check it out!

We now provide several ways to get the following layers, with more planned soon:

Property Parcels
2009 Basemap
2009 Topography
2009 Color Orthophotography
2009 LiDAR (full detail or bare earth LAS files)
2010 Zoning

Amherst GIS Data Extraction App

Some of these layers are available as townwide data sets, while others are available in tiled formats. Perhaps the most intriguing and flexible way of getting data is through the Data Extraction App, which provides the ability to define an area and download property parcels and/or topography data in various formats. This app has given us a long sought after way of providing access to large datasets that would otherwise require being sliced into tiles, while also providing a great way to get at the most up to date version of dynamic data like the property parcels, which can change sometimes on a daily basis.

We're excited about making this information more accessible, so please check it out and let us know how we're doing when you have a chance!

Go Mobile

2010-10-05T09:15:00.000-04:00

Do you like to hike in the Amherst area with your iPhone? If so, the free ArcGIS iPhone app is definitely worth checking out! This app uses the iOS GPS capabilities to make it easy to track your location and learn about your surroundings. Among the maps posted by the Town of Amherst for use in this app is a map of our Trail Network with Protected Land and Conservation Areas highlighted.

Once you've loaded the app, just go to "Find Maps" and search for "Amherst"

Open the Trails & Land Conservation map and you'll be all set for hiking!

Don't have an iPhone or an iPad? Don't fret! These maps are also available on ArcGIS.com as well as via the Amherst GIS Viewer. More mobile options are in the works, so check back with us soon!

Enjoy,

-Mike

Amherst Sewer Videos

2010-04-15T16:46:00.000-04:00

The complete Amherst MA sewer video archive covering more than 20 miles of sewer mains is now publicly accessible at http://bit.ly/AmherstSewerVids or via our new Ask The Map page.

It would have been fun to have posted this on April 1st, but these videos actually are the real deal. The Amherst Sewer Department uses a remote-controlled camera to capture video inspections for the purpose of detecting blockages or breaks caused by root intrusions, grease buildup and other common problems. These videos were only available on DVDs stored at the wastewater treatment plant until recently, when they were converted to Flash video format for streaming on the web. The primary purpose of this was to make the videos more accessible to Town staff at locations other than the wastewater treatment plant.

Because we use the same web-based GIS applications to serve staff as we use to serve the public, it was quite easy to make these videos available to the public & why not? It's public information that can be used for the common good. How can sewer videos be good? Aren't they just icky? Well, they're not exactly the best lunch-time entertainment, but seeing what can block or break a sewer line is quite an educational experience that we hope may lead to a better understanding of what not to pour down the drain & how we can all help to maintain better functioning infrastructure.

With that said, what can we all do to ensure fewer sewer service line & sewer main blockages? The answer comes out of the FOG (Fats, Oils & Grease): these are the number one cause of blockages in sewer lines that we can all help to minimize. When dumped down the drain, fats, oils & grease eventually solidify either in the sewer service line connecting to a sewer main, or in the main itself. For more information about this, check out this recent article from Water & Wastes Digest, then check out some of the Amherst sewer videos!

Enjoy,

-Mike

2010 Amherst Trail Map is Available

2010-03-05T14:34:00.001-05:00

The 2010 Amherst Trail Map is now available for download as a 5.9mb PDF. This edition of the map features a completely revised basemap, using shaded relief from the Town's 2009 basemap project, as well a fresher look with more distinct trail symbology. This map is the latest product of years of collaboration among Town staff from the Amherst Conservation Department and Amherst GIS. Printed copies of this map will go on sale in the coming weeks at A.J. Hastings, Inc. in Amherst Center.

For an interactive trail mapping experience, try out the Conservation Area and Trail Search to get right to best trail for you on the Amherst GIS Viewer. The GIS Viewer provides some great tools for planning and mapping your hike!

Enjoy & Happy Hiking!

Mill River / Puffers Pond Conservation Areas, North Amherst,
from the 2010 Amherst Trails Map PDF

Introducing "Ask The Map"

2010-02-24T11:54:00.001-05:00

Earlier this winter, we quietly launched "Ask The Map," as a new component of the Amherst GIS. Ask The Map provides a simple way to map by a keyword search. For example, you can use Ask The Map to map properties based upon land use, or cemetery plots based upon a family name. Give it a try at http://bit.ly/AskTheMap and please feel free to let us know what you think!

Thanks,

-Mike

Accessible Selection Tools

2010-02-09T09:27:00.001-05:00

Some subtle new features in the Amherst GIS Viewer make it much easier to use on Safari, Chrome and various mobile devices including the iPhone, which uses the Safari browser. While direct map interaction still is not supported on these browsers (i.e., panning, zooming and selecting features by clicking on the map), it's now possible to more effectively navigate around the map and select features by using the following new methods:

The "Select All in View" button (circled below) will select any visible features within your current extent from the target layer.
Once you have a set of features selected, double-clicking on any record in the selection grid will zoom you right to that feature.

We hope to have some news in the coming months about expanded browser support & mobile support. Until then, happy mapping!

-Mike

Amhersts Deeds & Plans Update

2010-01-19T15:31:00.000-05:00

The Amherst Deed and Plan Search has been revised to include everything from 1968 through October 2nd, 2009. We're planning to update these records on an annual basis. If more current records or records from other communities are needed, check out the Hampshire County Registry of Deeds website for a wealth of information.

More information about the Amherst Deed and Plan Search, as well as the integration of these records with the Amherst GIS Viewer, is available through a couple posts made to the Amherst GIS News blog last year.

Happy Deed Researching!

-Mike

Multiple Views of Amherst

2010-01-11T12:18:00.002-05:00

I just tried out MashedWorld, which is a site that includes some nice free mashup generation tools. Here's a quick result showing Amherst Center with multiple views supplied by Bing Maps & Google Maps:

This is definitely another good site to add to the geo-masher toolbelt!

Take a Hike!

2010-01-07T14:38:00.004-05:00

We've added a trail search to the Amherst GIS Viewer Conservation Area Search page. Here's a link: http://bit.ly/AmherstTrails

The Amherst Conservation Department and several partners maintain more than 80 miles of trails throughout Amherst. We're always working to make it easier for people to take advantage of this great resource, which includes trail segments suitable for walking, running, cross-country skiing, mountain biking & in some cases, horseback riding. For more information about trails in Amherst, check out the Amherst Conservation Department's Trails page.

Happy Hiking!

System Revisions Coming

2009-12-06T11:35:00.003-05:00

We're in the process of moving our systems to new infrastructure in order to ensure better performance and reliability. You can expect some periods of Amherst GIS Viewer and search page downtime on Sunday December 6th & Sunday December 13th, 2009. These infrastructure changes will allow us to offer some great service improvements in the very near future. More details on that are coming soon!

Thanks for your patience,

-Mike

It's a Whole New Map

2009-11-30T14:39:00.004-05:00

The 2009 basemap has been fully integrated into the Amherst GIS Viewer & we've revamped the printable maps. Take a look through the maps on the Viewer at http://gis.amherstma.gov/ & you'll notice a brand new look. Here are some examples:

2009 Basemap

2009 Orthophoto

2009 Topo Map (1' interval elevation contours & hillshading)

2009 Orthophoto with Hillshading
(turn on these layers in the legend of any Amherst GIS Viewer map)

Finally, here's a snapshot of our newest map template, a 17"x22" map that looks fantastic. You'll notice that all of our map templates have been revised to allow for multiple column legends and optional notes that you can add:

Enjoy, and keep the suggestions coming!

-Mike

Fast Forwarding to This Decade

2009-10-29T10:38:00.006-04:00

We're expecting final delivery of the Amherst Spring 2009 basemap within the next few days, which means that we'll have it fully integrated into the Amherst GIS Viewer in November, 2009. We're thrilled with the level of detail and completeness of the 2009 basemap, which can currently be viewed in draft form on the Amherst 2009 Basemap Viewer. Check it out & let us know what you think. Here's a snapshot of one of my personal favorite spots in town:

Enjoy!

-Mike

See the Amherst of 1967

2009-08-13T09:38:00.004-04:00

We've just added orthophotography from 1967 to the Amherst GIS Viewer. Local GIS consultant Michael Warner, who previously processed our 1939 & 1956 imagery, has now processed and ortho-recitfied the 1967 imagery, which looks great! This imagery covers a portion of Amherst that includes the UMass Amherst Campus, Amherst Center, North Amherst and East Amherst. It's fascinating to see the changes throughout town, especially on the UMass Amherst campus, which was in the middle of a transformation to the campus that we know today.

The imagery can be switched on in the legend tab of all maps in the Amherst GIS Viewer, so take a look at it and enjoy!

Click Here to see it!

Draft 2009 Basemap is now Town-Wide

2009-08-13T09:30:00.002-04:00

We've received the rest of the draft 2009 basemap data, making it a town-wide data set. This includes basemap, topography and orthophotography, which you can access here. Enjoy & please feel free to submit any feedback that may help us catch any omissions.

The (draft) 2009 Basemap is Here!

2009-07-31T18:04:00.006-04:00

We're beginning to receive the Amherst 2009 Basemap draft data, which you can now access by clicking here. Data that we're already making publicly available on the Amherst GIS Viewer includes brand new basemap layers, 1' elevation contours and fantastic looking orthophotos. There's a new "Basemap 2009," map tab added to the Amherst GIS Viewer, which includes most of the data & every map in the viewer now includes the orthophotos among layers in the map legend. As of August 2nd, the draft data extends from the northern town boundary on south through Amherst Center, extending about 700 feet south of College Street. According to our delivery schedule, we can expect the rest of the data to be delivered over the course of the next couple weeks.

Town of Amherst and UMass staff are beginning the process of field verifying various features and assessing the completeness of the maps. You're most welcome to join us in checking the maps; please feel free to use the Markup Tools on the Amherst GIS Viewer to submit any observations or corrections. The review period will continue throughout August & we expect to have a completed map this autumn.

Here's a sample of the basemap in North Amherst (notice that croplands are now mapped!):

Here's a sample of the orthophotography in the same area:

Enjoy!

-Mike

We're Now Tweeting on Twitter

2009-07-20T15:48:00.003-04:00

You can now follow Amherst GIS News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/AmherstGIS. We'll continue to post articles on the Blog & use Twitter to post news briefs.

Explore the Amherst of 1956!

2009-07-07T10:58:00.002-04:00

We've just added orthophotography from 1956 to the Amherst GIS Viewer. Local GIS consultant Michael Warner, who previously processed our 1939 imagery, has now processed and ortho-recitfied the 1956 imagery, which looks fantastic! This imagery covers approximately 1/2 of the land area of Amherst, covering predominantly the most populated areas of the community. The imagery can be switched on in the legend tab of most maps in the Amherst GIS Viewer.

Here's an example from the UMass campus just a few years before undergoing the expansion that created the campus that we know today:

View Larger Map

Here's a link to it on the Amherst GIS Viewer

Browser Security Settings for the Amherst GIS Viewer

2009-05-05T13:27:00.016-04:00

In a recent post, I described how to enable popups in a web browser in order to get more out of the Amherst GIS Viewer. Now, I'll follow up with a similar technical tip that pertains to security settings in Microsoft Internet Explorer.

The Amherst GIS Viewer has some handy capabilities for extracting data, including the ability to export a spreadsheet of selected features, an image of the current map, a Google Earth KMZ file of the current map, or a Google Earth KMZ file of a map markup. Unfortunately, the default security settings of Microsoft Internet Explorer can prevent these from working. Here's how to fix that:

Open the Internet Options Dialog & click the Security tab (Tools -> Internet Options -> Security)

Click the "Custom Level..." button:

In the Security Settings dialog, scroll down to the "Downloads," category and Enable "Automatic prompting for file downloads"

Click Ok on both dialog boxes to enable the setting.

That's it, now you can extract spreadsheets, map images, & map or markup KMZ files from the Amherst GIS Viewer.

These screenshots have these features highlighted:

Explore Amherst in 1939!

2009-05-01T15:36:00.006-04:00

We've just added orthophotography from 1939 to the Amherst GIS Viewer. Local GIS consultant Michael Warner has processed and ortho-recitfied the imagery, which looks fantastic! The imagery was provided to Michael by Steve Roof of Hampshire College. It covers most of the community, with the northern extent being in North Amherst. The imagery can be switched on in the legend tab of most maps in the Amherst GIS Viewer.

Here's an example from the Massachusetts Agricultural College (UMass) which was much different back then:

View Larger Map

Here's a link to it on the Amherst GIS Viewer

First Amherst 2009 Aerial Photo Sample

2009-04-27T09:26:00.008-04:00

I mentioned in an earlier post that I like to lay down in my back yard to be photographed by airplanes, right? Crazy stuff, but it pays off sometimes. Our spring 2009 aerial photography was taken on Monday April 13th, which was probably the best day that we had all spring before leaves began budding. Here's our first sample from that flight, in which you'll see yours truly:

View Larger Map
The final result will be available this autumn, with more samples coming this summer.

Tip: Enable Popups to get more out of the Amherst GIS Viewer

2009-04-21T12:56:00.006-04:00

Yes, I know that popups can be annoying. The popup blocker on any web browser has become a necessity because of all of the sites out there that will open popup after popup without any prompting by the person browsing the site. I can guarantee you that the Amherst GIS Viewer will never do such an annoying thing as that. However, the Amherst GIS Viewer does use popups to provide the following functionality:

Using the Identify Tool to click and get information about features on the map creates a popup window to display the results
Creating a Printable Map creates a popup window for entry of the map title and size, which then displays the output PDF

So, if you would like to take advantage of these two capabilities, you'll want to add gis.amherstma.gov to your list of sites from which popups are always allowed. The easiest way to do this is to go into the Amherst Public GIS Viewer and try using either the Printable Map button or the Identify Tool (click this tool on, then click on the map). If you have your popup blocker enabled, you'll see a bar show up along the top of your web browser telling you that the a popup was blocked. If you click on this bar, you'll have the option of always allowing popups from our site (don't worry, we'll never give you any involuntary popups!). This will be presented differently depending upon which browser you use. You should only need to do this once on any given computer that you use.

Note: If you're using Microsoft Internet Explorer, your map will be replaced with a message saying "application not specified" after you initially allow popups for our site, so make sure you go through this process before you spend too much time crafting a custom map.

It was a perfect day for a flyover

2009-04-13T18:37:00.004-04:00

I haven't received official word yet, but it appears that the aerial photography of Amherst occurred today. After spending most of the morning at my desk & realizing that conditions were perfect, I decided to take a walk around the Town Common at about 11:30. Sure enough, within a few minutes I saw a small airplane flying low just to the east of the center of town. I thought, "hmm...if I jump into the car & go right home, I might just have a chance for a back yard photo opp..." I did just that & the timing couldn't have been better. Within seconds of getting to my backyard & laying down in the grass (photo opp for me & biting opp for ticks) an airplane flew directly overhead in the proper flight pattern. If it was indeed the right plane, I'll end up looking something like this:

You can get a closer look by going here:
http://gis.amherstma.gov/public/Viewer.aspx?state=341756594999

Of course, you'll have an even better look at me in a few more months when we publish our new aerial photography.