Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

A geographic information system (GIS) is an invaluable tool for storing, organizing, analyzing and viewing data. It’s estimated that 80% of decisions made by local governments are impacted, influenced or constricted by geographical components. Leveraging GIS as a tool in decision making provides Franklin County with the ability to analyze information geographically, resulting in more informed decisions, increased productivity, cost-effectiveness and dissemination of knowledge for numerous county projects and entities.

The term “GIS data” encompasses any and all data that has been incorporated into a GIS. Data must have (or be linked to) an associated spatial component which ties the data to a specific location in space. Some examples of data that could be incorporated into a GIS include:

• Aerial photography
• Local parks
• Flood water inundation during a hurricane
• Emergency service logs

Franklin County offers several GIS layers for public viewing through various GIS web mapping services on its Interactive GIS Web Mapping Portal.

For GIS data obtained from Franklin County, you must have a GIS software package compatible with the data file types to view them. Franklin County uses and recommends the use of ESRI ArcGIS products for viewing its GIS data. A free ESRI ArcGIS viewer (ArcGIS Earth) can be downloaded directly from the ESRI website.

The method of obtaining Franklin County’s GIS data is dependent on the status of the requester and their intended use of the data. There are three categories of status/intended use:

1. Personal & Business Use: Franklin County offers its GIS data for purchase [following the official Franklin County Geospatial Data Fee Schedule (link to attached PDF Geospatial Data Fee Schedule (Currently Available))] for any and all personal and business uses. To obtain the data under the personal and business uses, you or a supervisor must sign the Geospatial Data Delivered Content Terms and Conditions of Use (link to attached PDF GIS Data Sales – Terms Of Use Agreement) as a representative of your organization with the authority to enter into such an agreement.
2. Academic & Educational Use: Franklin County offers its GIS data gratis (free of charge) for any and all academic and educational uses as assigned, supervised or collaborated with an academic institution and/or its employees. To obtain the data under the academic and educational uses, your academic advisor must first sign the Geospatial Data Terms & Conditions Use (link to attached PDF GIS Data Sales – Terms Of Use Agreement) as a representative of their academic institution and as a supervisor to those whom are performing or may be collaborating in the research. Alternatively, if requests are expected to be frequent, it might be prudent to have the academic institution (if eligible as a nonprofit) enter into a Geospatial Data Share Agreement with Franklin County (elaborated below).
3. Government & Non-Profit Use: Franklin County offers its GIS data gratis (free of charge) for any and all government and non-profit uses. To obtain the data under the governmental and non-profit use, your organization must first enter into the Geospatial Data Share Agreement with Franklin County, which outlines the terms and conditions of sharing GIS data between the two organizations. Proof of government or registered non-profit status must be provided with the initial data request.

To obtain GIS data through any of these avenues, you are required to submit an official Geospatial Data Request Form along with the aforementioned required forms to the Franklin County GIS Department at gis@franklincountypa.gov. If you are requesting a Geospatial Data Share Agreement, please submit the Geospatial Data Request Form and indicate you are seeking a Geospatial Data Share Agreement on the form. Once received, GIS staff will process your request within five business days.