The May 30th WNCGIS Gathering

The May Gathering at Dirty Jacks in downtown Asheville was another fun time for everyone in our GIS community. We got a chance to look at the maps for the Map Contest, and everyone put in a vote for their favorite. Although all the maps were very nice, I'm pleased to announce that the ever-industrious Josh O'Conner had the most votes. He won a coveted Malaprops Gift Certificate. To the left you can see him proudly displaying his prize.

A Big "Thank You" goes out to everyone who participated in the Map Contest. We hope that we will continue to get support and entries for the contest, so that we can select a winner or two bi-monthly. As you may recall, having a theme of some kind for each contest cycle was one idea, so if anyone would like to see a particular theme for the next contest, let us know.

CommunityViz

I thought I would post some information on the CommunityViz software package and some of its more useful features. The package functions as an extension for the ArcGIS products. It allows for the creation of dynamic data that allows for scenarios to be created in a sort of "What if?" analysis.

I have just been toying with it a little over a week and I intend to use to construct some data correlating Hemlock die back with stream temperature increases. The program seems to be primarily designed to use in community planning operations but can be extended for more ecological centered uses.

In order to learn the basics of the program I began toying around with average parcel slope data in Buncombe county. I then set a dynamic threshold on allowable slope percentage within the parcels (so that it would be easy to understand the volume of parcels that would be affected by various limitations on development in sloped areas). The first map is set with a maximum allowable slope of somewhere around 20% (yes, low, I know). Using the slider bar with the variable constructed in CommunityViz, the map can be updated dynamically to show what would happen should an ordinance be proposed that barred development on in parcels with slopes that are greater than 45%.



In order to understand how CommunityViz could perform with weighing two variables within a single map I constructed a similar analysis that factored in parcel slope and distance to a city. Say in case a developer was looking for a location to build a retirement community and wanted to select land that wouldn't be too steep, thus deterring older occupants; at the same time this developer would want to build within reasonable proximity to the cities of Flat Rock or Hendersonville because of their notoriety among retirees. The first map shows both factors with equal weight. The second shows what would occur if the developer became less concerned with parcel slope but really wanted to cash in on people heading toward Flat Rock or Hendersonville.




One last feature worth noting is the seamless integration with the Google Earth platform. Following the analysis of the Buncombe County slopes, I exported the data to Google Earth so that it could be made accessible to a wider user base (this is with the data with maximum slope set at 20%).



Clicking on the thumbnails will yield better pictures and I will post more as I play with the program more.

Pix from the April 26th WNC GIS Beer Meeting

Our meeting on April 26th was a lot of fun, and we chose a random winner for the Trivia Contest. Gene was the lucky winner and he was presented with a brand-new copy of the acclaimed book The Ghost Map. Here you can see Gene (with Jason) to his left) joyfully opening the book's wrapping. The other photo of the whole group captured most of the people who turned out at the Asheville Brewing Company. Thanks to everyone who joined us!

Focus Group Needed

So as a continuation of my first post... I am in need of some assistance on the Campus Mapping project I am working on. After having it reviewed by members of the UNCA campus community, I realize that it is in need of review by people that aren't as emotionally attached to certain aspects of the campus or particular viewing perspective. If anyone could do me a huge favor and take a look at the map and give me their feedback I would greatly appreciate it. I am open to any suggestions at all. This particular map is a print map for first time visitors to the campus and maybe a tool to some of the students who may not be familiar with more obscure buildings.

Here's the link. The map images are on the left and you can click on them to enlarge them to print-size.

Thanks.
My e-mail is JoshDOTOConnerATgmailDOTcom (substitute appropriate symbols for bold text)

Reader survey: open source tools

Hi folks,

I'm interested in hearing about what, if any, open source GIS tools are being used by members of the WNC GIS group. It was clear at the NCGIS conference in March that there is a vibrant open source GIS community in the state -- is the same true for our group? If you are using open source tools, please post a reply comment to this posting and let us know what you are using and why.

Neil may think this is a blatant 11th hour attempt to boost my chances for today's book drawing (and okay, so maybe it is), but I really would like to know more about any open source efforts out there....

UNCA Campus Mapping Project

Hi, I'm Josh O'Conner a student of UNCA/NEMAC and Haywood Community College. I just wanted to make a quick post about the Campus Mapping Project at UNCA being conducted by the UNCA Transportation Department and NEMAC.

The original maps used by the campus were incorrectly oriented and weren't spatially accurate. The intent behind the project was to be able to offer maps that were spatially accurate as well as providing the framework for GIS data that could benefit the UNCA transportation department. The hope was to be able to provide a GIS solution that would not only produce the map needed currently, but would allow the transportation department to be able to generate maps independently for specific needs.

The map was created using existing data available in CAD formats and then digitizing missing information from the 2002 orthographic photos. Due to the evolution of the campus from 2002 to present additional orthos were integrated by georeferencing some of the Google Earth imagery. The framework of the map is very near completion and ideally we will be able to offer the map to UNCA faculty and staff through the ArcReader software. The ArcReader application will include certain attribute information useful to the campus staff. Other plans for the map include web applications for visitors and a possible overlay for Google Earth.

WNCGIS Map Trivia Contest Rules!

If you read the Blog regularly, or if you contribute to the Blog, you have a pretty darn good chance of becoming one of the monthly “Wieners.”
Here is the way this near-random drawing/competition works.
1) A “Did you know?” Map Trivia question is presented on the Blog early in the month.
2) You should
a. Check the Map Trivia question on the Blog
b. Assess the question,
c. Review the reference info if you have time and
d. Submit your guess or answer to wncgis@gmail.com.
Trivia Contest Entries
1) If your answer to the question IS CLOSE, your name is entered into the drawing (single entry). “IS CLOSE” is defined as anyone who submits any answer. This ain’t rocket science.
2) If your answer is “EXACT” (the same answer as we have) you get two entries into the drawing. Sometimes there may not be an exact answer so if you are hovering around the same answer we have, that answer is EXACT, This is the judge’s call. This ain’t rocket science.

Blog entries.
3) If you also contribute a MEANINGFUL blog entry, you receive an additional entry in the drawing for each posting
4) To qualify you have to be on the email list. Those people on the review team are excluded.
Only first guesses count.

If you submit several guesses, only the first guess will count. You have to use the email address that we have on the mailing list.

At the end of the month at the WNCGIS gathering someone in the crowd will select a “wiener.”

So at this moment David Abernathy is in the lead with his single Blog posting. Actually he will have to make a guess at the Map Trivia Question before he becomes a contestant.

The Map Trivia Contest Prize: a book from Malaprops Bookstore

If Abernathy wins this month he will get a copy of the book, The Ghost Map by Steven Johnson ($26.95 value). This book is donated by Malaprops Bookstore. These folks are great! I like Abernathy a lot, but I would hate for him to win the prize from just one blog entry.
Statistical chances are pretty good.
At this point Abernathy has a great chance of winning the first book. He has no competition. However, there are over 60 people on the email list. Abernathy’s worst nightmare is that everyone on the list submits an answer and a blog entry. But the reality is that for this first month, the chances may be more like 1:10 or 1:25.

Contest Entries
Send your answers to The Map Trivia question to wncgis@gmail.com. I will collect your responses to the Map Trivia Contest question. And remember
If you are close you get 1 entry.
If you are exact, you get 2 entries.
If you post a Blog entry we will pull your name from the Blog.
If you show up at the WNCGIS Meeting Thursday, April 26th, then you get one additional entry.