Case Studies on Web Applications
City of Oakland, CA Enterprise GIS and Master Address Database Development
Challenge
The City of Oakland wanted to improve the efficiency, automation and integration of its location-based data, improve the usefulness and accuracy of its existing parcel data, and develop an enterprise geodatabase to expand city services.
Solution
Farallon built an enterprise-scale parcel database using spatially accurate orthophotographs and then implemented a master address database (MAD), providing the City with a comprehensive inventory of the City's addresses. The system also tied in other outside data sources including the Alameda Assessor's property database and Oakland permit tracking database. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Notification, Property Review, GIS/IT Integration, Master Address Database, Geodatabase Design
DNC National Election Precincts Dataset Development for 2008 Presidential Campaign
Voter record point data against a census block polygon layer
Challenge
Map the Vote, working with data from the Democratic National Committee (DNC) wanted to create a national election precinct GIS. But the costs and time required to produce the precincts layers using traditional GIS drawing methods were cost and time prohibitive.
Solution
Farallon developed automated geodatabase techniques and spatial analysis algorithms to process and validate millions of voter records. This enables organizations to cost-effectively microtarget voter turnout efforts for the 2008 Presidential campaign. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Voter Registration
Getty Conservation Institute Web-Based GIS for Managing Jordanian Antiquities
Challenge
The Getty Conservation Institute working with the World Monuments Fund and the Jordanian Department of Antiquities wanted to develop a new national GIS to assist in inventorying, monitoring, and managing the thousands of archaeological sites in Jordan
Solution
Farallon is developing a Web-based, bilingual (Arabic-English) system that will be used by inspectors, archaeologists, scholars, and government planners involved in cultural heritage management and research. The scalable solution using open source software, will subsequently be adapted for use in Iraq and possibly other countries in the region. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, GIS/IT Integration, Asset Management Systems, Geodatabase Design, Open Standards Solutions
City of San Francisco Bridge Preventative Maintenance Program Web Application
Challenge
The City and County of San Francisco Department of Public Works Bureau of Engineering collects and analyzes data on over 300 structures, including pedestrian over-crossing, roadway structures and bridges. The data was distributed across multiple systems in in several locations making it difficult to reliably query and visualize necessary asset information.
Solution
Farallon created a Bridge Preventative Maintenance Program web application to allow City staff, across departments, to view and query bridge inspection reports, field-verify noted deficiencies, and develop accurate cost estimates for the repairs and maintenance of deficiencies. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Enterprise Mashups, GIS/IT Integration, Asset Management Systems
City of San Mateo Master Address Database
Challenge
Addresses are a key dataset used by the City of San Mateo to provide essential services. No single complete, accurate, and current address list existed within the City that could be used as the authoritative list of business and residential locations. This limited the ability for City departments to coordinate efforts and integrate information across business systems.
Solution
Farallon designed and deployed a Master Address Database (MAD) as a central authoritative service for all City departments. The MAD offers increased data availability, reduced errors and maintenance, elimination of duplicate data, and enhanced City services. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Enterprise Mashups, GIS/IT Integration, Master Address Database, Pavement Management, Asset Management Systems
Farallon assists with litigation support
Challenge
A California legal firm was handling a dispute over a large parcel of real estate located in rural California. They needed a way for a San Francisco jury to visualize the size of the property.
Solution
Farallon used publicly available parcel data for the relevant areas and overlaid these outlines on a Google Earth orthophotograph of the City of San Francisco to show the property size in relationship to the size of San Francisco. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Property Review
City of Boston Redevelopment Authority: Web Based GIS Redevelopment Project Tracking Portal
Challenge
The Boston Redevelopment Authority manages the review process of City development projects. Over time, redevelopment related data had become spread across several independent databases making it difficult to integrate the data necessary to complete a formal redevelopment project review.
Solution
Farallon created a web application to integrate the City's permitting system with an enterprise databases using GIS . Fast and simple access to 2D & 3D maps, City GIS data, and project specific redevelopment information, was developed using web services to dynamically overlay GIS results onto Virtual Earth. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Enterprise Mashups, GIS/IT Integration, Asset Management Systems
Contra Costa Economic Development website integrates spatially-aware database and MS Virtual Earth
Challenge
To promote economic development, Contra Costa County Community Development Department wanted a website to help real estate professionals and business owners search for properties available for development or new business locations.
Solution
Farallon developed an easy-to-use prototype "GIS Site Locator" website using Microsoft's Virtual Earth that dynamically queries geodata and broker information stored in Oracle Express. Users enter parameters such as price range and square footage to quickly find and display properties on a map along with photos and driving directions. An RSS feed automatically keeps users updated of relevant new properties. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Enterprise Mashups, Property Review, GIS/IT Integration, Business Intelligence Systems, Geodatabase Design, Open Standards Solutions
Bay Area Geological Hazard Abatement Districts use GIS Mashup to Identify and Manage Critical Data
Challenge
San Francisco Bay Area Geological Hazard Abatement Districts (GHADs) manage risk related to property damage from potential landslides. They needed to analyze 15 years of quarterly data tracking water levels, angles of slopes that have been sliding, and homeowner reported cracks, in order to identify potential at-risk properties and proactively manage landslide risks.
Solution
Farallon created business rules in Oracle Express to determine locations that exceeded threshold levels for risk and then displayed these as markers in Google Earth along with links to supporting details. The GIS mashup provides an intuitive and powerful decision support system with low cost, high speed, and easy scalability. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Enterprise Mashups, Geodatabase Design
Town of Hillsborough Enterprise Geodatabase Development
Challenge
The Town of Hillsborough had devoted time and resources to initiating a GIS on a departmental desktop-level basis. To minimize data duplicities, increase data accessibility, and make data manageable by Town staff, they needed an enterprise GIS implementation.
Solution
Farallon devised a three-part solution that included building a RDBMS- based enterprise GIS, developing two web-based GIS applications (property review and notification) and training Town staff to manage their data and applications. Read more details...
Categories: Web Applications, Notification, Geodatabase Design, Planning & Training, Training & Technology Transfer