Term	Definition
Architecture	The configuration of hardware and software to support county-wide access to GIS capabilities.
ArcSDE	An ESRI software product that spatially-enables relational databases.
Core Database	The fundamental geography base used by all GIS data and users.
Corporate Data	GIS data that have cross-departmental value or are of value to the County’s affiliate agencies and the public.
Data Steward	Department or individual with the explicit responsibility for the maintenance, accuracy, completeness, and documentation, of GIS data.
Enterprise	The entire information technology network, data assets, hardware, and software for the County.
Enterprise GIS	The spatial data and tools that are developed, maintained and available to all County resources.
GIS Infrastructure	Computing hardware, software, and networking assets available for the County's Geographic Information System.
Infrastructure	Computing hardware, software, and networking assets.
Interoperability	Capacity of two or more information systems or applications to be linked and/or used together to maximize the value of both systems in an integrated manner.
Metadata	Documentation regarding the characteristics of a spatial dataset.
Online	The ability to access data or tools through an information technology network.
Standard Operating Procedure	A detailed description of a function or process that shall be followed by County employees.
Stewardship	The responsibility of owning and maintaining data on behalf of a Department or the County.

1.0 Executive Summary

1.1 Purpose

The purpose of the GIS Strategic Policy and Plan is to provide a strategic direction by which Geographic Information System (GIS) technologies are implemented throughout the County. The GIS Strategic Policy and Plan is authorized through Administrative Directive #IT-01 and Administrative Directive #IT-02. The remainder of this document is divided into four additional chapters:

q Chapter 2: GIS Policy

q Chapter 3: GIS Stewardship & Data Exchange

q Chapter 4: GIS Integration

q Chapter 5: GIS Standards

This document does not include standard operating procedures or specificity regarding technology platforms and architectures. It does include guidance, standards, and definitions with respect to the governance of GIS for County Departments and affiliated agencies.

1.2 Audience

The audience for the GIS Strategic Policy and Plan includes:

q County Administrator and Executive Team

q Information & Technology Services (ITS)

q GIS Manager

q GIS Technical Committee

q Core Services Team

q Department Managers

q End-users

It is envisioned that the GIS Manager, GIS Technical Committee, and the Core Services Team disseminate the information, guidance, and standards described in this document to GIS end-users in the form of standard operating procedures, departmental business processes, and explicit data stewardship responsibilities.

1.3 Reference Documentation

The GIS Policy and Plan complements and extends several companion policies and plans that are maintained by the County. Those policies and plans include:

q ITS Geographic Information Systems – Policy (GIS.01 through GIS.10);

q Administrative Directive #IT-01 (Automation and Telecommunications);

q Administrative Directive #IT-02 (Geographic Information System);

q Budget Decision Unit Process;

q Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan;

q Existing GIS and Related Data Update Procedures.

1.4 Plan Development Process

GIS development in the County formally began in 1987 as an effort to support 9-1-1 Emergency Operations, to establish advanced mapping capabilities for the County, and to provide information to support property ownership issues, County infrastructure and asset management. Since then, the County has developed significant GIS resources and supported myriad projects and daily activities.

The 2009 version of the GIS Strategic Policy and Plan is an update from the original Plan developed in 2000 (Camber Corporation, Contract # BOCC #99-1568). The 2000 plan was initially reviewed by the GIS Manager and key representatives from user departments. The GIS Manager then worked with the contractor to update the report structure (e.g. chapter headings and sub-headings) to reflect the current state of GIS at Hillsborough County and the industry at large. The contractor made the required adjustments to the structure of the Plan and added the relevant content from the 2000 version into the new format. The 2009 version of this Plan was reviewed in workshop settings with Planning & Growth Management, Real Estate, Public Works, Water Resource Services, Emergency Management, Affordable Housing, and Code Enforcement for further input on the structure and content of the Plan. The contractor incorporated the feedback from the workshops and presented the Plan to the GIS Technical Committee. The contractor made all remaining structure and content modifications and provided the Final Plan to the GIS Manager. Table 1 lists the changes made from the 2000 version in the 2009 version.

Table 1. 2009 Modifications to Existing Plan

Chapter	2009 Modifications to Existing Plan
Chapter 1	Modified roles and responsibilities Moved standards and procedures to Chapter 3
Chapter 2	Removed chapter and added brief description to Chapter 1.
Chapter 3	Condensed to relevant standards.
Chapter 4	Added application ownership. Moved standards to Chapter 3.
Chapter 5	Moved standards to Chapter 3.
Chapter 6	Deleted Chapter.
GIS Glossary	Refined terms.

1.5 GIS Policy

Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities are embedded throughout nearly all of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Departments. GIS data and technologies are used to support infrastructure management, emergency response, and urban planning, among other functions. This policy establishes the foundation for sustaining an effective, comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) at Hillsborough County. The policy addresses the business approach, administrative functions, and management considerations that form the basis for continued development of the system. The policy may be supplemented and updated by procedural documents and related plans that address the details of current operations.

This policy addresses major components required for effective GIS coordination and ongoing system expansion and maintenance. It describes the geographic development and management environment for County Administrator departments and addresses principles and approaches by which the BOCC GIS will coordinate and interface with other County agencies and relevant outside organizations. The policy includes GIS vision, principles, operational guidelines, coordination of County activities, management, user roles, standards and procedures, and external coordination.

The County intends to improve its GIS capabilities and to take advantage of the efficiencies gained through the comprehensive and integrated implementation of GIS over the next five years. To achieve these goals, the County will implement this vision:

The Hillsborough County GIS will be an efficient, integrated and comprehensive system providing County staff, decision-makers, businesses, and citizens with geographic information and tools that meet a wide variety of needs. It will be a long-lived asset that will improve government operations, evolve with changing technologies, and will adapt to the County’s changing needs.

The management of emergencies is a critical function at the County and requires coordinated and dedicated GIS resources. GIS is a vital capability in returning the County to a normal operating status and to maximize reimbursement opportunities from FEMA and other agencies. Example activities include data distribution, spatial analysis and modeling, damage assessment, and map production. GIS staff resources may be redistributed either internally within Hillsborough County Departments or externally to other agencies. An inventory of GIS skill sets will be performed annually and updated in the Emergency Management GIS Plan to ensure that the County has a clear understanding of its GIS staffing capacity.

1.6 GIS Stewardship & Data Exchange

The key GIS data exchange goal of Hillsborough County can be stated as follows:

To efficiently and effectively share spatial data within and between departments, organizations, agencies, and the public while maintaining security for sensitive information. Reduce data translation and capture redundancies through the continued use and improvement of the County’s spatial data repository.

Hillsborough County has identified spatial datasets that have cross-departmental value or value to the County’s affiliate agencies and the public. Those data are called “corporate data.” Each corporate dataset has an identified “data steward.” A data steward is a Department or individual who has the explicit responsibility for the storage, maintenance, accuracy, completeness, documentation, and distribution of those data. The data stewardship role is a duty for any County staff member involved with the maintenance of GIS data. As such, this responsibility should be clearly addressed as part of the staff member’s position description with the County. Data stewards are accountable to their supervisors and may receive guidance from the GIS Technical Committee, GIS Manager, and this Policy & Plan.

In most cases, ITS is responsible for providing the hardware, software, network connectivity, and security required for GIS applications. However, it is the responsibility of the department requesting the application to provide oversight and stewardship for the content, functionality, and relevance of the system. Application stewardship and the maintenance of IT infrastructure are two different activities. Departments are not required to maintain servers, security, or perform routine system administration. This is a function of ITS. However, departments are required to “take ownership” of their GIS applications to ensure that the County does not spend resources on irrelevant or obsolete applications, applications that do not function properly, or un-necessary license maintenance.

1.7 GIS Standards

The distinction is made between corporate data and subject data. Corporate data are used by more than one user group. Corporate data are a fundamental component of the GIS infrastructure and form the shared database. Therefore, corporate data must be developed and managed according the standards and policies specified in this document and the standard operating procedures developed by the GIS Technical Committee. In accordance with this goal, GIS Management and participants will continue to explore the possibility of reducing redundancy in the County’s cadastral data. The GIS Core Database is a specific subset of corporate data. This database provides the fundamental geography base used by all GIS data and users.

1.8 GIS Integration

Hillsborough County is seeking to further integrate spatial data, modeling and analysis, and technical capabilities into all levels of management, decision-making, departmental workflows, and information technology infrastructure. Through a dedicated integration effort, the County will improve information sharing across the BOCC and reduce duplicative expenditures. The intent is to provide better customer service and governance by integrating GIS capabilities at all levels in the County. The GIS data integration goals stated in this policy support the following desired outcomes:

q Efficient linkages to various spatial and tabular data sources;

q Integration through standards and best practices;

q Facilitating wider and more informed use of County GIS and traditional IT datasets;

q Raised awareness of the benefits of GIS throughout the County.

For over 20 years, Hillsborough County has been heavily involved in the development, deployment, and maintenance of GIS. Recently, attention has turned to two key issues: (1) integration of information, and (2) efficient access to this integrated information. As a custodian of public geospatial data and related attributes, it is essential for the ITS/GIS and associated data-provider departments to deliver integrated information to the GIS customer base.

Integrating GIS with other County information systems and modeling/analytical capabilities is crucial for a full implementation of an enterprise-wide GIS. Integration must occur at the department and county-wide levels. The County’s implementation of GIS includes a centrally-maintained spatial data warehouse that allows for multiple levels of access to geospatial data, from the casual user who simply needs to query and report on information to the analyst-user who edits and maintains the data. Both inter-departmental and inter-organizational communication is central to achieving the goal of an enterprise-wide GIS.

It is the policy of Hillsborough County to monitor and adopt industry trends that yield benefits in the form of increased efficiencies, cost containment, and higher value on geospatial products. Several key industry trends will be monitored by the GIS Manager, GIS Technical Committee, and GIS end-users at the County:

Interoperability between spatial and non-spatial systems.
Leveraging Internet/Intranet solutions that maximize server-side investments and mitigate desktop software deployment costs.
Creation of domain-specific solutions that are extensions of the enterprise foundation.
Distribution and synchronization of spatial data and tools on mobile devices.

Specific trends that will garner the attention of Hillsborough County will be listed and agreed upon in the annual GIS Report produced by the GIS Manager and implemented through the decision unit process of each Department.

2.0 GIS Policy

2.1 Introduction

Geographic Information System (GIS) capabilities are embedded throughout nearly all of the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) Departments. GIS data and technologies are used to support infrastructure management, emergency response, and urban planning, among other functions. Early on, GIS was a niche technology that required highly skilled staff to operate and maintain. While the technology remains sophisticated, staff ranging from advanced GIS Analysts to new users of digital maps are benefiting from the County’s investment in GIS. Similar to office productivity software (e.g. word processors, spreadsheets, email), GIS has become a mainstream technology at the County that requires a continued strategic direction and coordination.

This policy establishes the foundation for sustaining an effective, comprehensive Geographic Information System (GIS) at Hillsborough County. The policy addresses the business approach, administrative functions, and management considerations that form the basis for continued development of the system. The policy may be supplemented and updated by procedural documents and related plans that address the details of current operations.

While GIS can provide benefits to individual applications, its biggest benefits come from the deployment of a comprehensive system. An integrated system streamlines many applications, supports cross-departmental issues, and provides single-point-of-access to information.

Furthermore, GIS development and maintenance costs can be significant. It is crucial that the County leverage resources, coordinate activities, reduce duplicative or contradictory efforts and expenditures, and ensures cost-effective data quality and system reliability.

2.2 Vision

GIS is embedded throughout many of the County BOCC Departments. The County intends to improve its GIS capabilities and to take advantage of the efficiencies gained through the comprehensive and integrated implementation of GIS over the next five years. To achieve these goals, the County will implement this vision:

2.3 Principals

Several key principles support this vision:

The GIS will be an enterprise-wide system, managed for the benefit of all Hillsborough County BOCC, departments, and divisions.
The GIS will be database-centered and emphasize the use of geographic data to serve County operations, answer questions and solve problems.
The GIS will be cost-effective and efficient. It will conserve and leverage County resources to the greatest extent possible.
The GIS will provide spatial data to effectively serve customers and their work processes with easy to use tools readily accessible in the course of their work.
The data and the system will include appropriate security and access controls to ensure data are not available beyond their legitimate purposes, and that data and system assets are protected.
The system, data, operating environment, and planning procedures will be flexible to accommodate growth and changing priorities.
Development, growth, maintenance, and operation of the system will require interdepartmental commitment and effort.

GIS resources (data, applications, and staff) will be shared across the County to ensure that the organization maximizes its use of GIS for daily and emergency functions.

The County will investigate and embrace new technologies, industry standards, and best practices that bring value to its GIS.

The GIS will support emergency management operations. This support includes preparedness, pre-event planning, response, and recovery.

2.4 Operational Guidelines

In order to achieve the vision and principles, several operational guidelines are required.

GIS strategic planning will be performed regularly, using this policy as a basis, revising policy when required. The strategic planning cycle will: (a) use a ten year horizon for vision development; (b) establish a five year plan; and, (c) reference a dynamic annual work program. The plan will reflect the goals of BOCC agencies, and the necessity to be flexible in responding to a changing political environment.
The GIS Strategic Policy and Plan provides the framework by which BOCC departments create Annual Departmental GIS Plans. Annual Departmental GIS Plans will detail the standards, data stewardship responsibilities, and application ownership responsibilities that will be implemented by the department over the course of the year.
The enterprise GIS will balance centralized management with decentralized operations; high levels of coordination, cooperation and communication will be encouraged.
Spatial data will be created, maintained, and documented such that they are defensible and auditable.
The GIS user community will provide input regarding system development and operations. The GIS Manager will use this input as guidance in making final decisions, formulating work plans and directing operations.
In the course of developing GIS long-range and short-term plans, efforts will be made to balance and integrate the high-level goals of the County and Enterprise GIS with agency-specific goals.
Data creation and maintenance efforts will be highly coordinated. Emphasis will be placed on data quality, standards, sharing, and interoperability between information systems. Redundant data will be eliminated to the extent possible.
County-wide purchasing will be used to the maximum extent possible. Software and hardware investments will be highly coordinated to reap the benefits of economies of scale.
Data and system access will be provided at a variety of levels suitable to specific users’ needs. Access will be balanced with necessary security and control measures.
Data sharing among BOCC departments and affiliate agencies is an important component of effective GIS operations. Data management procedures have been implemented and must be followed to maximize data integrity and currency.
Education and training within user departments must be given a high priority with adequate resources.
System support shall be as transparent as possible from the users’ viewpoint.
Communication is important and will be achieved by a variety of methods. The GIS Technical Committee has been established to provide a conduit for information exchange among user departments, as one of those methods.
The County will make use of the most modern technology as appropriate. GIS work station standards and replacement schedules must exceed those of standard desktops to remain compatible with increasing software, database, and system demands while maintaining fiscal responsibility.
The County will make use of the best knowledge and expertise as appropriate. Dependant on individual department funding, outsourcing from qualified vendors will be made available to user departments to offset any lack of internal expertise and/or resource availability.

16. Emergency management is a key function of the Board of County Commissioners. GIS is a vital component of the County’s emergency management efforts and will be highly coordinated to ensure that the County’s geospatial data and tools are available for use during emergency preparedness, response, and recovery activities.

2.5 GIS Community

The County involves management and staff at all levels in the implementation and use of GIS. Each stakeholder in the County’s “GIS Community” has responsibilities for the proper use and maintenance of GIS data and technologies. Table 2 lists each member of the GIS Community and a brief description of their responsibilities in maintaining GIS at the County.

Table 2. GIS Community

Role	Responsibility
County Administrator & Executive Team	Provides guidance as to the expected benefits of the GIS and the overall vision of its implementation.
GIS Manager	Charged with facilitating the GIS Technical Committee, ensuring that standards are maintained, and that the GIS Community works together to maximize the benefits from its investments in geospatial data and technology.
GIS Core Services Team	Core data development and maintenance. Provides GIS analysis and mapping services to Departments with no GIS access or capabilities.
GIS Technical Committee	Recommends standard operating procedures, debates and resolves technical issues, and provides operational guidance to departments and their end-users.
GIS Support Staff	Provides daily infrastructure maintenance, configuration, application support, software, and GIS technical support functions to the County.
Information & Technology Services Dept.	Provides hardware, networking, and security infrastructure for the GIS.
Departments	Act in the capacity of GIS Data Stewards, application stewards, and responsible end-users.
Affiliate Agencies	Coordinate with the GIS Manager to ensure that data are exchanged properly and efficiently.
Users	Use the GIS within the capacity of their skill sets and seek assistance when necessary to derive additional benefits from the system.

2.5.1 County Administrator & Executive Team

The County Administrator and Executive Team provide direction to ITS and the GIS Manager as to what benefits are expected of the GIS and to what degree various initiatives will be funded to support GIS throughout the County.

2.5.2 GIS Manager

The GIS Manager is responsible for coordinating and managing GIS development and operational activities. The GIS manager has the specific responsibility and authority to:

Represent the County Administrator in the implementation of GIS policies, planning, work program development and execution, procedures, standards, and matters with regard to external parties.

Establish, maintain, and manage procedures and activities for GIS development and operation.

Develop policies, proposals, procedures, and standards for GIS product releases and marketing efforts.

Develop the 5-year GIS Strategic Policy and Plan.

Develop the Annual GIS Report. The GIS Report is a compendium of the Departments’ decision unit process priorities and Department Work Plans.

Coordinate the development of the annual GIS Emergency Action Plan.

When requested, provide guidance for the development of annual departmental GIS work plans that include daily and emergency response protocols.

Coordinate with GIS users to solicit input and facilitate joint decision-making regarding the development of GIS. Specifically:

q Establish, maintain, manage, and chair the GIS Technical Committee.

q Provide information and recommendations to the County Administrator’s Executive Team and relate their directives to the Technical Committee.

q Establish and maintain outreach to other relevant parties.

Make final decisions regarding system development and operation. These include matters related to hardware and software platforms, system and data standards, system development and operations priorities, and service delivery tools and procedures.

Review and approve all corporate GIS data development proposals. Coordinate activities and verify that the proposed data development activities will not have a negative impact on other GIS users. The GIS manager may also review subject data proposals, as appropriate.

Review and approve all GIS software purchases.

Ensure that GIS support staff, users, managers, and administrators receive appropriate GIS information and education.

The GIS manager must have adequate resources to carry out these responsibilities in a timely and efficient manner.

2.5.3 GIS Core Services Team

The core database is a crucial component of the GIS and includes “corporate data” that are commonly used countywide. Therefore, it is important that GIS coordination, system development, and system operation be tightly coordinated with core data development, maintenance, and access. This coordination is accomplished through the GIS Core Services Team. The Core Services Team has the following responsibilities:

1. Maintain the GIS Core Data; to include the geometry, attribution, and metadata.

2. Develop and execute standard operating procedures for maintaining the GIS Core Data.

3. Provide GIS services to Departments without those capabilities.

The Core Services Team comprises members from ITS and the Real Estate Department. Team members work together as required to develop a core database and relevant procedures that will best serve the GIS user community. The Core Services Team and the GIS Technical Committee will conduct an annual review of data maintenance priorities and cross-departmental GIS support activities to ensure that the County’s staff and fiscal resources are properly applied to its GIS needs.

2.5.4 GIS Technical Committee

To ensure that the GIS meets the end-users’ needs, as well as broader County goals, GIS plans, procedures, and standards must be discussed by representatives of the end-user community. The GIS Technical Committee is comprised of representatives from departments under the BOCC and affiliate members approved through informal agreements. Each department is authorized two members, one representing policy interests and one representing technical interests, and is appointed by the department director. Committee members are responsible for fully understanding and representing their respective department’s GIS needs, activities, and concerns. They also stay abreast of other information technology developments, needs, and activities in their departments and identify matters of potential coordination with GIS. Accordingly, committee members may be required to invest significant time and effort working on GIS matters within their departments.

The GIS Technical Committee operates a consensus-driven process that includes a high degree of collaboration and review. It has the responsibility and authority to:

Discuss and provide input, review and recommendations regarding GIS development, enhancement, and operations.

Provide ongoing interdepartmental communications and consultation regarding the development of GIS platform and applications components.

Assist in evaluating countywide GIS projects, implementation strategies, and procedures.

Identify and define GIS interoperability requirements, including standards for the maintenance, documentation, and dissemination of spatial data.

Provide input to the development of GIS policies and procedures.

Develop and maintain effective communications linkages with GIS users in their respective departments.

Identify, develop, and maintain effective coordination between information systems within their respective departments that can enhance GIS database, policies, and procedures.

Review the GIS strategic plan and policy on an annual basis.

Committee meetings will be quarterly or more frequently as needed by the chairman. The chairman may invite non-members to attend specific meetings.

Decisions will be made by consensus. If consensus cannot be reached on any specific matter, then one of two courses of action will be followed:

a) If the matter is within the GIS Manager’s realm of responsibility, he will make the decision.

b) If the matter is a larger issue, it will be referred to the County Administrator’s Executive Team for resolution.

2.5.5 GIS Support Staff

The GIS Support Staff has the responsibility to:

Assist in the installation and management of the central GIS system software and resolve technical issues and problems.

2. Ensure central system operations, availability, and user support during normal working hours. Provide accessibility and support beyond regular working hours as required.

3. Develop, maintain, and make available system standards, operational guidelines, and procedure documentation.

4. Develop, test, install, support, and maintain all approved in-house software systems used to manage, enhance, or utilize central GIS platforms.

5. Coordinate and assist in the planning, installation, and management of all external systems and/or workstations that interface with the GIS.

6. Work with departments to develop, test, install, and maintain specialized GIS applications and interfaces.

7. Provide Help Desk services to respond to technical questions about software, hardware, applications, interfaces, and systems development issues.

8. Coordinate or assist with training required by system changes related to software and hardware upgrades, new GIS applications, database modifications, and other changes.

2.5.6 Information & Technology Services

Information & Technology Services (ITS) is responsible for providing technology infrastructure in the form of hardware, software, network connectivity, and security for the GIS at the County.

2.5.7 Departments

Departments may act in the capacity of data stewards and may have staff that are GIS end-users. The Departments are the primary customers that the GIS serves at the County. Department representatives serve on the GIS Technical Committee. Departments are responsible for creating Annual GIS Work Plans as part of their annual decision unit planning process.

2.5.8 Affiliate Agencies

Affiliate agencies include the Hillsborough County City-County Planning Commission, Sheriff’s Department, Environmental Protection Commission, City of Tampa, Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission, the University of South Florida, Property Appraisers Office, and others. Informal data sharing agreements between the GIS Manager and the affiliate agencies guide the sharing of GIS data between the BOCC and its sister agencies.

2.5.9 Users

In order to ensure that users’ needs are met, and that the GIS is integrated as much as possible, GIS end-users shall coordinate their activities with the GIS Manager and GIS Technical Committee. Specifically, GIS end-users have the responsibility to:

Obtain adequate training.

Coordinate and obtain approval for proposed new software, enhancements, and applications with GIS management.

Obtain approval for the addition of data sets or enhancements to existing datasets in the corporate GIS data repository.

Coordinate and obtain approval for new hardware and communications equipment with GIS management.

Maintain their data in accordance with established standards.

2.6 Coordination of GIS Activities

Coordinating GIS activities across the County will ensure that the organization receives the best possible return on its investment. Each component of the GIS– software, hardware, data, staff resources, and procedures – must be coordinated for compatibility, efficiency, and accuracy. Whenever possible, compatibility is the highest priority and enterprise-level mechanisms will drive many decisions. Users’ needs for data and capabilities that vary from the enterprise standards will be balanced with the County’s desire for interoperability. GIS software and data requests from new and existing BOCC agencies must conform to ITS supported standards. Departures from these standards will require approval of the GIS Manager, Director of ITS, or the County Administrator as appropriate.

There are several important aspects to the management of GIS at the County. These include coordination of countywide GIS activities, planning for GIS growth, managing daily operations, supporting the user community, and coordinating with external entities. The GIS Manager, supported by the GIS Support Staff, is responsible for these activities. Specifically, coordination of GIS includes the following guidelines:

Standards and procedures will be approved by the GIS Technical Committee, the GIS Manager, and when applicable, the County Administrator’s Executive Team.

Standards and procedures will be published and/or communicated by the GIS Manager.

Users will follow the established standards and procedures.

The GIS Manager will monitor compliance and resolve any problems that arise.

Requests for changes to established standards and procedures or development of new ones will be addressed to the GIS Manager.

Standards will be published and maintained in this GIS Strategic Policy and Plan document and the Annual GIS Report.

Established standards will be reviewed, updated, revised, and augmented at a minimum annually or when conditions, situations or events warrant.

An annual review of the maintenance schedule for the corporate data layers will be performed by the GIS Technical Committee. This review will ensure that the appropriate level of effort is being spent on the data layers most relevant to the County.

Figure 1 represents the coordination structure for the County. The County Administrator & Executive Team, as well as the Director of ITS, provides direction to the GIS Manager. The GIS Manager works with, and chairs, the GIS Technical Committee. The GIS Technical Committee is comprised of departmental representatives and provides guidance on GIS standardization and procedures.

In addition, the GIS Manager coordinates with the Core Services Team to ensure data integrity for those datasets that have county-wide importance. Lastly, the GIS Manager liaises with affiliate agencies.

Figure 1. Hillsborough County GIS Coordination Structure

The GIS Manager, assisted by other departmental GIS staff as appropriate, will continuously monitor the relevant activities of various government, private, professional, university, and other organizations that are involved in GIS-related activities. Issues regarding data standards, data availability, data sharing, communications, and technical advances will be particularly important. The County will make efforts to coordinate with these activities as appropriate.

2.7 GIS and Emergency Management

2.7.1 Principles

q Emergency Preparedness;

q Pre-event Planning;

q Emergency Response;

q Recovery & Post-disaster Redevelopment Process.

The management of emergencies is by its very nature place-based. The inter-dependent nature of planning for, responding to, and recovering from, emergencies is manifested in the County’s GIS. Geography and the information-intensive requirements of an emergency make GIS a critical support system of this process. Therefore, the following principles will guide the use of GIS during emergency management situations:

GIS will not simply be used in reaction to an event but will be a well planned, standardized, and distributed information system that is relied upon before, during, and after an emergency.

The GIS Technical Committee will appoint a sub-committee to plan for the use of GIS during emergencies. This sub-committee will be called the GIS Emergency Management Sub-committee.

A GIS Emergency Action Plan will be developed and reviewed annually by the GIS Emergency Management Sub-committee and include detailed standard operating procedures and roles and responsibilities. The GIS Emergency Action Plan will reflect the requirements of the County’s Comprehensive Emergency Management Plan, the GIS Strategic Plan, and external state and federal requirements that may affect the use of GIS during emergencies.

The use of GIS should be detailed in individual BOCC department Emergency Management Plans and will reflect the framework of the GIS Emergency Action Plan. Data requirements and distribution, analysis and modeling requirements, map requirements and distribution, and technology requirements shall be listed in these plans.

To the maximum practical extent possible, GIS plans should be coordinated and integrated at a regional level and with agencies external to the County (e.g. FDOT, TECO) and include procedures for data exchange and data security.

The County’s spatial data will be of a quality and completeness that they can be used to support state and federal reporting and reimbursement requirements (e.g. FEMA reimbursement procedures).

To the maximum practical extent possible, data and map creation, maintenance, and sharing protocols developed in the GIS Emergency Action Plan will reflect those that are used during normal business operations. The intent is to ensure that the emergency functions are simply an extension of current GIS business practices.

To the maximum practical extent possible, GIS will be used for all types of emergencies; to include small scale (e.g. heavy rainfall/flooding). This will ensure that usage and implementation issues can be overcome prior to a large scale event.

GIS will be used to support and enhance the County’s ability to predict and model the outcome and effects of emergency events.

GIS staff resources may be redistributed either internally within Hillsborough County Departments or externally to other agencies. An inventory of GIS skill sets will be performed annually and updated in the Emergency Management GIS Plan to ensure that the County has a clear understanding of its GIS staffing capacity.

2.7.2 Roles & Responsibilities

All parties in the GIS Community have a responsibility to maintain and share GIS capabilities during an emergency. Table 3 lists BOCC departments involved with GIS data maintenance, mapping, and distribution in response to an emergency.

Table 3. GIS & Emergency Management Functions

Department*	Emergency Support Function (ESF)	GIS Support Responsibility**
ITS	ESF-2 (Communications) ESF-5 (Information & Planning)	Preparedness: Ensure that the GIS Emergency Action Plan is up to date. Ensure that GIS procedures are exercised during emergency response training events. Coordinate with external agencies as required. Pre-event Planning: Ensure that the most up to date GIS data are available at the EOC. Ensure that GIS software is available at the EOC. Response: Provide GIS/IT support as required. Recovery: Provide GIS/IT support as required.
Public Works	ESF-1 (Transportation) ESF-3 (Public Works & Engineering) ESF-7 (Resource Support) ESF-14 (Public Information)	Preparedness: Identify roadway clearing routes. Identify critical infrastructure. Ensure data are up to date and available through the corporate data repository. Ensure that GIS procedures are exercised during emergency response training events. Coordinate with external agencies as required. Review and update the GIS Emergency Action Plan. Develop and maintain applications and databases used in damage assessment. Pre-event Planning: Ensure that the most up to date data are available in the corporate data repository. Response: Map production and data dissemination in support of debris removal and critical infrastructure (horizontal) assessments. Recovery: Support the County in returning infrastructure to a normal operating level.
Real Estate	ESF-5 (Information & Planning)	Preparedness: Ensure data are up to date and available through the corporate data repository. Maintain spatial data to support the EOC (e.g. critical facilities, hazardous materials, etc.). Ensure that GIS procedures are exercised during emergency response training events. Coordinate with external agencies as required. Review and update the GIS Emergency Action Plan. Pre-event Planning: Map generation. Ensure that the critical facility and hazardous location data are available to the appropriate stakeholders in a secure manner Response: Map production, analysis, and data dissemination for EOC functions that do not have GIS capabilities. Recovery: Assist with the response to “trouble calls.”
Water Resource Services	ESF-3 (Public Works & Engineering)	Preparedness: Identify critical infrastructure. Ensure data are up to date and available through the corporate data repository. Ensure that GIS procedures are exercised during emergency response training events. Coordinate with external agencies as required. Review and update the GIS Emergency Action Plan. Pre-event Planning: Ensure that the most up to date data are available in the corporate data repository. Response: Map production and data dissemination in support of critical water infrastructure assessments. Recovery: Support the County in returning infrastructure to a normal operating level.
Planning & Growth Management	ESF-3 (Public Works & Engineering) ESF-5 (Information & Planning)	Preparedness: Ensure that GIS procedures are exercised during emergency response training events. Coordinate with external agencies as required. Review and update the GIS Emergency Action Plan. Use HAZUS software as required to model event outcomes. Pre-event Planning: Assist with data exchange and GIS support activities as required. Use HAZUS software as required to model event outcomes. Response: Conduct vertical damage assessments. Recovery: Assist with long-term redevelopment implementation. Assist with FEMA compliance. Both functions require GIS data, maps, and reports.

*Other Departments that should have GIS responsibilities include: Emergency Management and Fire/Rescue.

**Detailed GIS responsibilities are covered in the GIS Emergency Management Plan.

3.0 GIS Stewardship & Data Exchange

3.1 Introduction

This chapter defines GIS stewardship and exchange responsibilities for data and applications for all BOCC departments. The responsibilities detailed in this chapter, coupled with the standards and policies outlined in the remaining sections of this document, comprise the GIS governance structure for the County. Specific operating procedures and implementation mechanisms are provided to the departments as guidance and directives from the GIS Manager and Technical Committee.

3.2 GIS Data Exchange Goals

The key GIS data exchange goal of Hillsborough County can be stated as follows:

Data exchange initiatives will support data sharing across a range of technical levels, including the following:

q Standard hard copy distribution of maps;

q Standard file formats that support digital data exchange;

q Standardized data documentation (e.g. metadata);

q On-line data access.

3.3 Data Stewardship

Each department shall coordinate with ITS/GIS to identify their corporate data layers and determine the appropriate technical mechanisms to store, update, document, and distribute those data. Data stewards shall be responsible for implementing the data stewardship functions resulting from these coordination activities.

Table 4 describes the GIS data stewardship responsibilities for each role in the County’s GIS community.

Table 4. Data Stewardship Responsibilities

Role	GIS Data Stewardship Responsibility
County Administrator & Executive Team	Ensure that financial, human resource, and technology resources are made available to appropriately store, maintain, and distribute spatial data between BOCC departments and with affiliate agencies and the public.
GIS Technical Committee	Provide guidance and create standard operating procedures (SOPs) for data stewards.
GIS Core Services Team	Perform data stewardship functions for the corporate spatial data layers that do not have an identified data steward due to limited staff or financial resources.
GIS Manager	Ensure that the data stewardship protocols are being adhered to and provide oversight regarding GIS data standards.
GIS Support Staff	Review integrity of updated data and metadata. Synchronize data with the corporate repository.
Information & Technology Services	Ensure that the GIS data stewards have the appropriate technology resources available to implement the data stewardship functions required to maintain and distribute corporate datasets.
Departments	Identify corporate datasets and ensure that data stewards are identified and given responsibility for maintaining those data.
Affiliate Agencies	Identify data inaccuracies and report those inaccuracies to the GIS Manager. Provide supplemental datasets.
Users	Identify data inaccuracies and report those inaccuracies to the appropriate GIS Data Steward.

3.4 Application Stewardship

In most cases, ITS is responsible for providing the hardware, software, network connectivity, and security required for GIS applications. However, it is the responsibility of the department requesting the application to provide oversight and stewardship for the content, functionality, and relevance of the system. Non-standard hardware and software requests by departments must be approved by ITS prior to the issuance of Purchase Orders or project implementation. Costs for non-standard hardware and software shall be borne by the requesting department once approved for use by ITS. Specifically, BOCC departments will:

1. Request ITS support from the GIS Manager in the specification, testing, and deployment of any GIS application.

2. Conform to the County’s system development lifecycle (SDLC) [Policy DPM-06: Systems Development Lifecycle]. In particular, it is the responsibility of the department to ensure that the application meets all acceptance criteria through proper documentation, testing, maintenance standards.

3. Provide written notice to ITS and the GIS Manager when an application is ready to be deployed in the County’s production environment.

4. Ensure that the application maintains its relevance as business processes, missions, mandates, and departmental requirements change over time.

5. Liaise with the GIS Manager and the GIS Technical Committee to ensure that the technology implemented remains current and reflects the overall IT strategy of the County.

Application stewardship and the maintenance of IT infrastructure are two different activities. Departments are not required to maintain servers, security, or perform routine system administration. This is a function of ITS. However, departments are required to “take ownership” of their GIS applications to ensure that the County does not spend resources on irrelevant or obsolete applications, applications that do not function properly, or un-necessary license maintenance.

3.5 Data Exchange Process

Operating as the corporate data exchange facilitator, the GIS Manager monitors data flow into and out of the County; including sensitive data. By keeping data exchange through a single point of contact, the potential for confusion among data sharing members will be limited. Further, the GIS Manager will arrange for access and distribution of core data sets. It is important to note that the data creators still control their data and submit updates to the central spatial data repository for distribution both internally and externally. The purpose of this activity is to ensure that only one entity is focused on data distribution tasks.

The County will determine the most effective means by which to provide various GIS services and data to the public. Specific methods may vary by data set, type of user, frequency of usage, data volume, stage of GIS development, and other County policies and procedures.

In some instances, the County may require non-disclosure agreements to be executed prior to the exchange of data with parties external to the organization (e.g. aerial photography). In addition, some data are considered sensitive (e.g. critical facilities) and require a “Transfer of Sensitive Information” agreement to be signed by the data recipient in accordance with federal and state laws. In each case, the data provider will coordinate with the GIS Manager to ensure that the appropriate level of safeguards is implemented prior to the exchange of data.

4.0 GIS Integration

4.1 Introduction

This document defines the desired GIS integration outcome, activities, management procedures, and recommendations for the County. The objective of the County’s GIS integration efforts is to couple relevant information systems with the GIS in order to leverage data assets from across the organization. The intent is to support movement toward data integration based on internal County requirements of day-to-day business activities, first and foremost. However, promoting the use of integrated data resources for a wide array of functions, such as disaster preparedness and community-based ecosystem management are additional integration objectives. A three-part strategy for immediate and future GIS integration activities includes:

q Use of existing local, regional, state, and national data sources;

q Optimize integration by filling spatial data gaps; and

q Development and maintenance of data integration standards as a County-wide resource.

The County acknowledges that spatial information is a valuable asset, but integrating it with traditional information technology (IT) has been difficult. Therefore, there has been a tendency for the County to continue developing and maintaining disparate systems. This Policy supports a closer integration between GIS and non-spatial databases with the intent to spatially-enable these data assets. The GIS data integration goals stated in this policy support the following desired outcomes:

q Efficient linkages to various spatial and tabular data sources;

q Integration through standards and best practices;

q Facilitating wider and more informed use of County GIS and traditional IT datasets;

q Raised awareness of the benefits of GIS throughout the County.

4.2 GIS Integration Goals

The County’s GIS integration goals are:

q Higher levels of integration of GIS data layers with traditional IT processes and relational database management systems (RDBMS);

q Efficient integration of GIS data with third party systems; and

q Better integration of all County data to form the basis of a comprehensive enterprise data management strategy.

Full spatial integration must be accomplished, both horizontally across jurisdictions, and vertically among data themes. The County has already achieved a high level of vertical integration, or positional accuracy, among the corporate data layers. Although some data layers may be less spatially accurate than others due to limitations beyond the ITS/GIS department’s control, the County provides a user metadata and disclaimers to qualify data discrepancies.

Horizontal integration, also known as the “seamless” database, is the highest level of integration, and understandably, the most difficult to achieve. This type of integration requires cooperation from surrounding jurisdictions and agencies in order to create one consistent, shared GIS database. In most cases, this is not feasible because of the high costs and staff resource requirements associated with achieving this level of integration. Vertical integration should be the focus of short-term integration plans, and horizontal integration should be a goal for future long-term integration planning opportunities.

4.3 Current Integration Activities

Hillsborough County maintains an ESRI-based GIS platform that includes relational databases, Internet mapping capabilities, and desktop software deployed in a distributed architecture. Testing and production capabilities exist for new development. Fail-over capacity is maintained at the County’s Sabal Park location. An instance of ArcSDE is also maintained at the County’s Emergency Operations Center (Figure 2).

Figure 2. 2009 GIS Architecture

Data used for enterprise GIS applications can be both static (e.g, commissioner districts) and dynamic (e.g. roadway centerlines). Additionally, the GIS database has a hybrid structure that includes spatial components as vector (e.g., zoning) or raster (e.g. digital ortho-photography) and associated attribute data (e.g. tract number) in tabular format. Historically, such data were maintained as tables and overlays within the GIS software. The County is making use of relational database management systems to manage these data assets holistically within an integrated data repository that includes relationships and linkages between these data elements.

4.4 Industry Trends

Interoperability between spatial and non-spatial systems.

Leveraging Internet/Intranet solutions that maximize server-side investments and mitigate desktop software deployment costs.

Creation of domain-specific solutions that are extensions of the enterprise foundation.

Distribution and synchronization of spatial data and tools on mobile devices.

5.0 GIS Standards

5.1 Introduction

These standards apply to the County’s existing GIS, and as the County’s GIS evolves, these standards form the foundation for subsequent standardization across the enterprise.

Subject data are developed and used by only one user or user group. They do not become part of the shared database and should not enter the data sharing environment. Because their uses are limited, subject data are not required to comply with these GIS standards, but it is advisable to adhere to these standards when possible.

An important goal of the County’s GIS is to minimize data redundancy, particularly with regard to the Core Data.

5.2 GIS Data Standards

Geospatial data standards define the requirements for GIS datasets to participate in the GIS. Spatial datasets are broken into two main groups: vector and raster. Vector datasets are coordinate-based data that represent geographic features as points, lines, and polygons (e.g. shapefiles). Raster datasets are spatial data that define space as an array of equally sized cells arranged in rows and columns, and are composed of single or multiple bands (e.g. ortho-photography). Each cell contains an attribute value and location coordinates. Each of these two spatial dataset types must conform to the standards outlined in the following sections.

5.2.1 Projection & Datum

A projection is a method by which the curvature of the earth’s surface is portrayed on a flat surface. All Vector and Raster datasets are required to have a documented projection. The authorized projection for Hillsborough County is State Plane Florida West Zone 902. The units for use with this projection are U.S. Feet. The standard horizontal datum for Hillsborough County is NAD83 and the vertical datum is NAVD88.

5.2.2 GIS Data File Formats

Hillsborough County has standardized its GIS capabilities upon the ESRI ArcGIS platform. Table 5 is the list of acceptable GIS data formats for Hillsborough County.

Table 5. Vector Data File Format Standards

GIS Vector Dataset Format

File Format Requirements

Shapefile

At a minimum, ESRI shapefiles shall include the following files:

Projection:	*.PRJ
Geometry:	*.SHP
Data Table:	*.DBF
Index	*.SHX
Metadata:	*.XML

Geodatabases (personal, file, enterprise)

Feature classes and feature datasets shall be projected and include metadata in accordance with the County standards set forth in this document.

ESRI GRID

ESRI GRID files shall be projected and include metadata in accordance with the County standards set forth in this document.

5.2.3 Imagery Data File Formats

The image formats listed in Table 6 are acceptable for the County’s GIS. Imagery data must be geo-rectified in accordance with standards noted in Table 6 of this document.

Table 6. Raster Data File Format Standards

GIS Raster Dataset Format*	Associated Raster Files
ECW (Enhanced Compression Wavelet)	File shall include an ERS (ecw world file).
GeoTIFF (Tagged Image File Format)	File shall include a TFW (tiff world file) and an XML file containing projection information.
GIF (Graphics Interchange Format)	File shall include a GFW (GIF world file) and an XML file containing projection information.
IMG (ERDAS Imagine file)	Projection and coordinate information shall be contained within the file.
JPG (Joint Photographic Experts Group standard)	File shall include a JGW (jpg world file) and an XML file containing projection information.
JPEG 2000 (Joint Photographic Experts Group standard from year 2000)	Projection and coordinate information shall be contained within the file.
MrSID (Multi-Resolution Seamless Image Database)	File shall include a SDW (sid world file) and an AUX file or XML file containing the projection information.

*Other ESRI-compatible formats that may become available throughout the lifespan of this Policy are acceptable.

5.2.4 GIS Data Exchange Standards

1. GIS data will be exchanged between BOCC departments, affiliate agencies, and the general public in accordance with Florida Statute, Chapter 119.01 (The “Sunshine Law”), informal or formal data sharing agreements agreed to by the GIS Manager, and the data security standards set forth in this document.

2. GIS data will be distributed using the formats described in this document and will include a fully populated metadata record that conforms to the metadata standards set forth in this document.

3. The corporate data repository will only accept GIS data that conform to the County GIS data file format standards and that have a metadata record populated in accordance with the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM).

4. When the County’s GIS data or map products are provided to external sources, the following disclaimer will accompany the delivery of those data or map products:

Hillsborough County makes no warranty, representation or guaranty as to the content, sequence, accuracy, timeliness, or completeness of any of the geodata information provided herein. The reader should not rely on the data provided herein for any reason. Hillsborough County explicitly disclaims any representations and warranties, including, without limitation, the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

Hillsborough County shall assume no liability for:

1. Any errors, omissions, or inaccuracies in the information provided regardless of how caused; or

2. Any decision made or action taken or not taken by any person in reliance upon any information or data furnished hereunder.

All Hillsborough County, Florida GIS data were created in:

PROJECTION: State Plane

DATUM: NAD 83

ZONE: 902

MAP UNITS: US Feet

SPHEROID: GRS1980

5. GIS Users and Data Stewards shall not distribute GIS data that are not County owned to parties external to the organization. This includes data that have been provided to the County by an external source (e.g. FEMA, SWFWMD, FDEP) for use in County projects, missions, or mandates. In those instances where non-County owned data must be distributed, metadata and documentation regarding use and permissions shall accompany the data submission to the external organization.

5.2.5 Address Data Standards

Oversight of addressing assignments is the responsibility of the County’s 911 Agency. GIS users and Data Stewards shall coordinate with the County’s 911 Agency when creating or editing address data.

5.2.6 Reserved Words

Reserved words will not be used as field names in attribute tables. GIS users and Data Stewards shall coordinate with ITS to ensure that reserved words are not inadvertently used in attribute tables associated with GIS data. Reserved words will follow the current industry standards. ESRI’s support forum and the following Internet site may be referenced in addition to coordinating with ITS:

http://download.oracle.com/docs/cd/B19306_01/em.102/b40103/app_oracle_reserved_words.htm

5.2.7 Naming Conventions

Hillsborough County maintains naming conventions for vector data, raster data, and map products. GIS users and Data Stewards shall adhere to the naming convention protocols created by the GIS Technical Committee.

5.2.8 Place Name Standards

Hillsborough County will adhere to the United States Geological Survey (USGS) Principles, Policies, and Procedures for Domestic Geographic Names (online version 2003).

5.2.9 Global Positioning System (GPS) Standards

The Hillsborough County Surveyor is responsible for the standards when using GPS devices to collect data. Any department collecting data with a GPS device is directed to coordinate with the County Surveyor prior to planning a project, purchasing equipment, or placing staff or contractors in the field to collect data.

5.3 Metadata Standards

Metadata is a summary document providing content, quality, type, creation, and spatial information about a data set. It can be stored in any format such as a text file, Extensible Markup Language (XML), or database record. Because of its small size compared to the data it describes, metadata is more easily shareable. Metadata makes spatial information more useful to all types of users by making it easier to document and locate data sets. Metadata not only helps find data, but once data have been found, it also tells how to interpret and use data.

Hillsborough County has adopted the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata (CSDGM). The FGDC has published a list of essential metadata elements that are mandatory for compliance with the federal standard, which can be found at:

http://www.fgdc.gov/metadata/documents/CSDGMEssentialMeta_20080514.pdf

The essential elements of the CSDGM include both Section One and Section Seven of that standard. Hillsborough County has removed two of the essential elements due to redundancy. The removed elements are Metadata_Standard_Name and Metadata_Standard_Version. Table 7 lists the required metadata elements for the County and provides an example of each.

Table 7. Required Metadata Elements

Required Metadata Element	Definition	Example
Section One (Identification) of the CSGDM
Originator	The “Originator” is the person(s) and organization(s) that developed the data set.	Florida Department of Transportation, Transportation Statistics Office (TRANSTAT)
Publication_Date	The date when the data set is published or otherwise made available for release.	20080902
Title	The name by which the data set is known.	Interstate Highways
Abstract	A brief narrative summary of the data set. The “Abstract” briefly describes the “what” aspects of the data set. For example, what information is in the data set? What area is covered?	The Interstates feature class covers the state of Florida at a scale of 1:24,000 with a projection system of Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) 17 North zone and a horizontal datum of North American 1983 (NAD 1983). The map units are in meters.
Purpose	A summary of the intentions with which the data set was developed. The “Purpose” describes the “why” aspects of the data set. For example, why was the data set created?	The FDOT GIS Interchanges feature class provides spatial information on Florida Interchanges and Exits.
Time_Period_of_Content	Time period(s) for which the data set corresponds. Speaks to the currentness of the data.	20080902
Currentness_Reference	The basis on which the time period of content information is determined. Most users are interested in the currentness of a data set related to the “ground condition” (that is, when the “real world” looked the way it is described in the dataset). The Currentness Reference element requires the producer to identify if the Time Period of Content dates and times refer to the ground condition, or some later time when the information was recorded, published, etc. Ground condition or publication dates are acceptable terms.	Data are valid from the publication date until a new feature class is published. Update schedule is the Tuesday of the first full week of each month.
Progress	The state of the data set. “Complete”, “In Work”, “Planned” are acceptable terms.	Complete
Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency	The frequency with which changes and additions are made to the dataset after the initial data set is completed. “Continually” “Daily” “Weekly” “Monthly” “Annually” “Unknown” “As needed” “Irregular” “None planned” are acceptable terms.	Monthly
West_Bounding_Coordinates	Western-most coordinate of the limit of coverage expressed in longitude.	-87.419459
East_Bounding_Coordinates	Eastern-most coordinate of the limit of coverage expressed in longitude.	-80.028695
North_Bounding_Coordinates	Northern-most coordinate of the limit of coverage expressed in latitude.	30.847591
South_Bounding_Coordinates	Southern-most coordinate of the limit of coverage expressed in latitude.	24.470656
Theme_Thesaurus	Reference to a formally registered thesaurus or a similar authoritative source of theme keywords. If no thesaurus is used the term “none” is acceptable	None
Theme_Keywords	Common-use word or phrase used to describe the subject of the data set.	Transportation, Interstates, State Roads, Highways, Roads Roadway Characteristics Inventory
Access_Constraints	Restrictions and legal prerequisites for accessing the data set. These include any access constraints applied to assure the protection of privacy or intellectual property, and any special restrictions or limitations on obtaining the data set. Most FDOT data should have no access constraints. The term “none” is acceptable in this instance. Otherwise, reference the type of access constraint required for the data set (e.g. “no access”, “FDOT internal”).	None
Use_Constraints	Restrictions and legal prerequisites for using the data set after access is granted. These include any use constraints applied to assure the protection of privacy or intellectual property, and any special restrictions or limitations on using the data set. The term ‘none’ is acceptable if there are no use constraints.	This product has been compiled from the most accurate source data from the Florida Department of Transportation's Transportation Statistics Office. However, this product is for reference purposes only and is not to be construed as a legal document or survey instrument. Any reliance on the information contained herein is at the user's own risk. The Florida Department of Transportation assumes no responsibility for any use of the information contained herein or any loss resulting therefrom.
Point_of_Contact	Contact information for an individual or organization that is knowledgeable about the data set. The “Point of Contact” is the person(s) and organization(s) that can be contacted if questions arise about the data set. The “Originator” and the “Point of Contact” may be the same.	GIS Section Manager
Contact_Organization	The name of the organization to which the contact type applies.	FDOT Transportation Statistics Office
Contact_Position	The title of individual.	GIS Section Manager
Address_Type	The information provided by the address. “Mailing” “physical” “mailing and physical” are acceptable terms	mailing and physical address
Address	The address for the organization or individual.	Transportation Statistics Office, 605 Suwannee Street, MS-27
City	The city of the address.	Tallahassee
State_or_Province	The state or province of the address.	Florida
Postal_Code	The ZIP or other postal code of the address.	32399-0450
Contact_Voice_Telephone	The telephone number by which individuals can speak to the organization or individual.	(850) 414-4848/Toll Free: (800) 399-5503
Online_Linkage	The hyperlink to the dataset or the datasets repository.	ftp://ftp.dot.state.fl.us/fdot/co/planning/transtat/gis/shapefiles/interstates.zip
Section Seven (Metadata Reference) of the CSGDM
Metadata_Date	The date that the metadata were created or last updated.	20080902
Metadata_Contact	The party responsible for the metadata information.	GIS Section Manager
Contact_Organization or Contact_Person	The name of the organization to which the contact type applies.	FDOT Transportation Statistics Office
Contact_Position	The title of the contact person	GIS Section Manager
Address_Type	The information provided by the address.	mailing and physical address
Address	The address for the organization or individual.	Transportation Statistics Office, 605 Suwannee Street, MS 27
City	The city of the address.	Tallahassee
State_or_Province	The state or province of the address.	Florida
Postal_Code	The ZIP or other postal code of the address.	32399-0450
Contact_Voice_Telephone	The telephone number by which individuals can speak to the organization or individual.	(850) 414-4848/Toll Free: (800) 399-5503

While the metadata elements listed in Table 7 are required for metadata submission, all CSDGM metadata elements should be filled out as much as possible and will be accommodated in the County’s GIS metadata record. The ESRI Gazetteer has been implemented to assist with metadata management and is available for use by all GIS Data Stewards.

5.4 GIS Security Standards

The data contained within the County’s GIS will be made available to all BOCC departments, affiliate agencies, and the general public unless otherwise noted as:

1. Critical infrastructure subject to national security threats (Critical Infrastructure Information Act 6 U.S.C. Section 131 et seq.).

2. Data exempt in accordance with Florida Statue 119.071.

3. Confidential data. Examples include: properties targeted for acquisition, sex offender locations, and data governed by HIPPA regulations.

4. Pre-published datasets that have not been sanctioned through the County’s quality assurance process.

5. Subject data that are not included in the corporate repository.

1.0		Executive Summary
	1.1		Purpose
	1.2		Audience
	1.3		Reference Documentation
	1.4		Plan Development Process
	1.5		GIS Policy
	1.6		GIS Stewardship & Data Exchange
	1.7		GIS Standards
	1.8		GIS Integration
2.0		GIS Policy
	2.1		Introduction
	2.2		Vision
	2.3		Principals
	2.4		Operational Guidelines
	2.5		GIS Community
		2.5.1	County Administrator & Executive Team
		2.5.2	GIS Manager
		2.5.3	GIS Core Services Team
		2.5.4	GIS Technical Committee
		2.5.5	GIS Support Staff
		2.5.6	Information & Technology Services
		2.5.7	Departments
		2.5.8	Affiliate Agencies
		2.5.9	Users
	2.6		Coordination of GIS Activities
	2.7		GIS and Emergency Management 22
		2.7.1	Principles
		2.7.2	Roles & Responsibilities
3.0		GIS Stewardship & Data Exchange. 26
	3.1		Introduction
	3.2		GIS Data Exchange Goals
	3.3		Data Stewardship
	3.4		Application Stewardship
	3.5		Data Exchange Process
4.0		GIS Integration
	4.1		Introduction
	4.2		GIS Integration Goals
	4.3		Current Integration Activities
	4.4		Industry Trends
5.0		GIS Standards
	5.1		Introduction
	5.2		GIS Data Standards
		5.2.1	Projection & Datum
		5.2.2	GIS Data File Formats
		5.2.3	Imagery Data File Formats
		5.2.4	GIS Data Exchange Standards
		5.2.5	Address Data Standards
		5.2.6	Reserved Words
		5.2.7	Naming Conventions
		5.2.8	Place Name Standards
		5.2.9	Global Positioning System (GPS) Standards
	5.3		Metadata Standards
	5.4		GIS Security Standards

			List of Figures
Figure 1. Hillsborough County GIS Coordination Structure
Figure 2. 2009 GIS Architecture

			List of Tables
Table 1. 2009 Modifications to Existing Plan
Table 2. GIS Community
Table 3. GIS & Emergency Management Functions
Table 4. Data Stewardship Responsibilities
Table 5. Vector Data File Format Standards
Table 6. Raster Data File Format Standards
Table 7. Required Metadata Elements

ArcSDE	Arc Spatial Database Engine
BOCC	Board of County Commissioners
CSDGM	Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata
EOC	Emergency Operations Center
ESF	Emergency Support Function
ESRI	Environmental Systems Research Institute
FDEP	Florida Department of Environmental Protection
FDOT	Florida Department of Transportation
FEMA	Federal Emergency Management Agency
FGDC	Federal Geographic Data Committee
GIS	Geographic Information System
GPS	Global Positioning System
HAZUS	Hazard US
HIPAA	Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act
IT	Information Technology
ITS	Information and Technology Services
NAD83	North American Datum 1983
NAVD88	North American Vertical Datum 1988
SDLC	Software Development Lifecycle
SOP	Standard Operating Procedure
SWFWMD	Southwest Florida Water Management District
TECO	Tampa Electric Company
USGS	United States Geological Survey
XML	eXtensible Markup Language