What is a GIS
Introduction
GIS is the acronym for Geographic Information System. GIS is a system for archiving, retrieving, manipulating, and displaying data that has been stored and indexed according to the geographic coordinates of the map elements. Unlike a typical map, which shows only spatial data such as roads, cities, and country borders, GIS software links attribute data, such as property or permit information, to a spatial object (parcel polygon) in a map. Other information may include installation and maintenance records linked to utility features, pavement conditions linked to street centerlines, or police incident or complaint records linked to intersections or parcels. This link provides a mechanism to analyze spatial data, letting you use map data in a whole new way.
A GIS can utilize a variety of data types, such as satellite or aerial imagery, maps, database tables, scanned images, photographs, etc. It can be used for solving complex resource, environmental and social problems.
The Village of Hartland uses Autodesk’s MapGuide® software for their GIS purposes. The MapGuide® Viewer allows you to interact with the Village’s maps - you can zoom in and out on a map, find specific features, select features that meet certain criteria, display information about selected features, print the current view of the map, and more.
If this is your first time using the Village’s GIS, there may be a slight delay to determine if you have the required Autodesk MapGuide® plug-in viewer. If not, you will be prompted to load the “free” viewer. Once loaded, you will be viewing a Village base map.