GIS Terminology
- Aerial Photography: Flown by plane or satellite. Image types are straight down or “bird’s eye view” (oblique) this does not include the horizon.
- Building Permits: Residential (single or multi) or commercial building permits are tracked by county. These are used to show growth patterns.
- CAD: Computer Aided Drawing. Used by architects or engineers to design buildings or site plans. We can preview and print CAD files. We cannot edit or create.
- Demographics: Updated on a regular basis for the USA. A wealth of information from population and income estimates to consumer expenditures and vehicles per household (see Demographics Samples in the Demographic article).
- Drive Times: Calculated from a point outward based on road type that is associated to a speed limit, also assuming no stopping.
- Future Transportation: Can include mass transit, freeways, major road construction, or expansion. Data collected from the State Department of Transportation or regional planning agency.
- GIS: Geographic Information System. GIS is a collection of computer hardware, software, and geographic data for capturing, managing, analyzing, and displaying all forms of geographically referenced information.
- Grocery: National or regional grocer with more than a few locations over 20,000 SF per store.
- Major Retail: National or regional tenant with more than a few locations over 20,000 SF per store.
- Major Restaurant: National or regional sit-down restaurant with more than a few locations over 5,000 SF per store.
- Parcel Data: Collected from each county yearly as the tax roll is released. Parcels may contain recorder's and assessor’s information, including name, address, acres, values, etc.
- Street Map: Any map that does not include an aerial. Usually shows cities, lakes, streets, rivers, parks and points of interest.
- Tenants in General: Tenants tracked are national or regional and have more than a few locations. This means no mom and pop stores. Tracking is time consuming; therefore, we only actively update tenants when the need arises.
- Trade Area: Natural or physiological area. Trade areas are usually created by an agent with input from the GIS mapping group.
- Traffic Counts: Provided by the State Department of Transportation on a yearly basis and released 6-9 months after the calendar year. Counts are stated as Average Daily Traffic or ADT and are non-directional.
- Zoning: Collected from each city municipality. Used to show land use and parcel specific permitted usage.