GIS progressing         

New aerial digital photograph maps completed

Economic development ball rolling

[MARCH 12, 2005]  Digital aerial photos taken last spring have just gone through the first process of being made into maps. The maps are the first step in developing Logan County's geographic information system.

The new digital parcel mapping is mandated by the Illinois Department of Revenue. Their primary intent is for identifying land use for farmland assessment.

However, the maps will serve a far greater purpose in Logan County. The maps will be used as the foundation of a geographic information system. Layers of information on these highly accurate maps will help serve the county's economic development needs. Details that will be added later will provide crucial information to residential, commercial and industrial developers. It will be a timely, quick and easy system that could attract business to our area once it is in place.

Those focused on economic development in the county are eager to have GIS in place.

Along with that there are initiatives to update the county's comprehensive plan.

Besides providing information for development, the comprehensive plan is critical to getting federal grant money for economic development, but the plan must be kept up-to-date to qualify for those funds. The Logan County plan was developed in 1970, and the last update was in 1987. It is past due.

Zoning is a critical component in the comprehensive plan. The county board reinitiated its planning and zoning committee this past month.

GIS progression

Digital photographs were taken of the entire county a year ago and then were sent to engineers to develop the new maps.

Hickman said that the maps will be sent back to engineers for details of parcels to be drawn in. The county has 17,000 parcels: 12,000 rural and 5,000 town parcels.

The cost for the first stage of the mapping came in at $235,000. The next stage is estimated at $300,000-$350,000 and is anticipated to take 12 to 18 months to complete.

The county modified recording fees last year to raise funds for the project. The money has been coming in steadily, but there will not be enough in the fund to pay for the project upfront. The fund has $39,000 in it so far. About $200,000 will be needed. Reserves for road work or something else may need to be borrowed and then put back gradually.

New aerial photomaps of the county are available on request by contacting Tom Hickman at the Logan County Highway Department. Fees and license agreements for the maps were worked out last month.

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