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MayoesReportDew-mP w6j994 <br />On November 30,1 attended the Washington County Surveyor's Office Open House. 1 had a <br />very stimulating demonstration of the power of their GIs (Geographic Information system) <br />software installation. <br />Washington County is bringing all map information onto a central data base using land <br />survey information to produce intelligent and up to date maps. <br />Although the whole of Washington County is not yet entered into the data base, the Cities of <br />Stillwater, Bayport, Oak Park heights, Woodbury, Lake Elmo and Baytown and West <br />Lakeland townships are already in the system. This means that we can get accurate 1 in 100 <br />and 1 in 200 digital maps of any subdivision in the City of Lake Elmo. The data base is updated <br />monthly, and is based on the parcel Geocode information supplied to the Washington <br />County Tax Assessor's office. So any change recorded in a plat is automatically updated and <br />the updated maps are available the following month. Thus maps issued in January 1995, <br />would incorporate all changes up to November 301994. <br />It is anticipated that the data base would be accessible by wire sometime in 1995 or 1996 to <br />customers with the right equipment, software and trained operators. This could include Lake <br />Elmo, but I do not think it would be justifiable at this time, as the accurate maps are <br />comparatively cheap. <br />One additional impressive feature is the ability to overlay an aerial view of a site with the <br />related plot plan to the same 1 in 200 scale. This enables the record to be readily compared <br />with site conditions so that anomalies become more obvious. <br />The system is a very useful planning tool which will become more important as the City <br />changes es with development. 1 commend the Washington County Surveyor's Office for <br />establishing this project some years ago. I know that Dakota County has not yet embarked on <br />this project, and it will depend on City funding to make it happen in the future,. We can be <br />thankful that the future is already here, in Lake Elmo and Washington County. <br />