DATA AND INFORMATION

A good information base is critical to the success of the planning program. Citizen confidence in data and inventories and having good information available from which to make sound decisions, are key to any project and should be well developed.

Geographic Data System (GDS)

The availability of computerized information assisted enormously in managing this complex project. The Lane County Geographic Data System (GD8) metropolitan parcel file is interactive, meaning it allows various layers to be combined in map or tabular formats. Examples of applications include: map overlays, mailing lists of owners with wetlands, the buildable land inventory (how much of a parcel is wetland/non-wetland by Plan designation or zoning), and owner address/assessed value for the land acquisition program. Existing data files include:

• floodplain
• storm and sanitary sewers transportation routes
• comprehensive plan land use designations and boundaries (Plan boundary, UGB, and residential, commercial, industrial, public and open space designations)
• city and county zoning
• citylimits
• current land use (linked to building permit files, including vacant, agricultural, and timber uses)
• address (linked to assessor files, land use, and building permit files)
• property tax lot lines (linked to assessor data, including owner [name and address], map and tax lot number, assessed value [land, improvements, and total], and lot size in acres)

Map overlays and other simple techniques were used during the planning phase of this project. New information since gathered through the process has been added to the Eugene-Springfield regional data base. When combined with the existing data like tax lot boundaries, street and storm sewer files, soils, land use, zoning, comprehensive plan designation, and floodplain designation, these new data layers assisted in understanding physical relationships. They also helped assess wetland impacts on property owners and on the buildable land inventory. Some resource base data has consequently been digitized, which will further aid in plan implementation. Examples of data layers added through the wetland program include:

• wetland delineation boundaries (1)
• wetland study boundaries (1)
• wetland plan designations - protection, development, and restoration (this was done for the 4/91 draft plan, then amended after adoption)
• wetland plan habitat types - prairie, ash forest, shrub-scrub, and marsh (completed in 1993)
• SCS 1987 Soil Survey (completed in 1992) (1)

Exhibits 1 and 2 are samples of some of the mapped information.

Exhibit 1	Exhibit 2

(1) Done early on, which aided in the analysis. For example, generating maps and overlays, preparing mailing lists, and conducting the buildable land inventory analysis.