In the April, 2014, edition of the Data Consortium Newsletter, we introduced the Data Portal project.  The Portal is an online application for data exchange between DRCOG and its members. It will replace the former data collection process of using the ftp site or email communication. The Data Portal will allow for more efficient, secure, and consistent exchange of data.  Some of the advantages of using the Data Portal include: 

• Secure site for data sharing
• Reduced errors in data transmissions
• Increased communication between DRCOG and its members
• Storing of data license agreements
• Transaction logging

Beta testing of the Data Portal is now underway!  This is an important step in the project as it gives the DRCOG team a chance to address user questions or concerns.      

Thank you to the following organizations who have volunteered to participate in beta testing of the Data Portal:

• Aurora  
• Boulder County  
• Commerce City   
• Federal Heights  
• Firestone  
• Colorado State Office of Information Technology
• Thornton

If you would like to participate as a beta tester, it is not too late!  Please email asummers@drcog.org if you are interested.  If you want to learn more or have questions, consider attending the GoToMeeting conference call scheduled Tuesday, July 22 from 10 - 11 a.m. The details are listed below:

1.  Please join the meeting.
https://www3.gotomeeting.com/join/458483742
2.  Use your microphone and speakers (VoIP) - a headset is recommended.  Or, call in using your telephone.
Dial +1 (312) 757-3131
Access Code: 458-483-742
Audio PIN: Shown after joining the meeting
Meeting ID: 458-483-742

In the fall, DRCOG will schedule several workshops for its members.  These workshops will provide instructions on using the Data Portal, including setting up administrators and users on the site. 

DRAPP Update and Related Projects

On June 25, DRCOG GIS Manager Ashley Summers gave a presentation to the DRCOG Board explaining how local data becomes information that drives regional decision-making. The purpose of this informational talk was to bring awareness to the state of DRCOG's data at a regional and local level, to outline why we often struggle with collection and compilation, and to show how data affects the analysis, forecasting, and planning efforts that inform influential decisions.

Elected officials need answers to many questions when they collaborate and negotiate at the DRCOG table. Questions like, "How is the region doing on our Metro Vision goals?" or "How do jurisdictions contribute to those goals at a local level?" or "Where does the region need to focus energy to make improvements?" The answers lie in current, accurate, and consistent information - information synthesized from detailed local data and compiled into a big-picture regional look.

To better understand the process, let's look at two of the datasets DRCOG collects from jurisdictions:  land use and zoning. The data is quite different across the region, so DRCOG finds commonalities and standardizes them into a dataset that can be used to draw broader conclusions on a regional scale. Once it's been compiled, the data is fed into UrbanSim, DRCOG's land use model, which not only leads to Small Area Forecasts, but also produces an output that goes into the DRCOG's travel model and air quality conformity model.  Each model result is contingent on the one before it and directly tied to the quality of the source data, which begins at the local level.

Check Out More Data Processes Here:  

• Land Use and Zoning
• Bikes and Trails
• Buildings
• Open Space
• Parcels and UGB/A

DRCOG reaches out to jurisdiction staff throughout the year for data. The DRCOG GIS Team initiated a data collection effort in January 2014 to acquire geospatial data from the region's local governments. Specifically, the 10 datasets requested were:

• municipal and county boundaries,
• parcels,
• open space,
• trails,
• bike facilities,
• buildings,
• land use,
• zoning, and
• urban growth boundary/area (UGB/A).

DRCOG staff would like to see improvement in the submission of buildings, land use, bike and trails, and UGB/A. The goal is also to make requests routine so the response is closer to the deadline. Finally, a consistent way to mine the data of jurisdictions without GIS is needed.

The presentation included these statistics and made suggestions regarding how improve the responses to the data collection effort. 

 
DRCOG suggested that elected officials and other members of a jurisdiction's leadership team investigate options to set us up for success. For example, getting more staff, more technical resources, or allowing more time to be spent where needed. Local staff must be enabled and supported to get this job done.

The "takeaways" shared with the Board were simple and to the point: 

• The best and most detailed data is at the local level. You are the experts;
• DRCOG is here to help, committed to continuously improving the information it provides; and
• A call to action: Let's make an investment in building a strong foundation together.

In 2012, DRCOG began creating a new open space layer with the Common Spaces Data Consortium subcommittee. From this subcommittee and its Data Dash in September 2012, parks and open space data was obtained from several cities and counties as well as Colorado State Parks and the South Suburban Parks and Recreation District. This data was combined with DRCOG's original open space layer, Greenprint and COMap data and clipped at the county level. The data was then compared with parcel data and aerial photography to resolve discrepancies between datasets to ensure recent land use changes had not changed the nature of areas identified.

Open space data was included as part of DRCOG's data request to local governments in early 2014. With this request, a large number of new and updated local open space datasets were incorporated into the open space layer. Some proprietary data obtained from COMap was removed. This made it possible to make the data available to DRCOG members and the general public.

DRCOG is creating the open space layer primarily to meet in-house business needs such as Metro Vision and model development. Because of these needs, not all data considered open space by local jurisdictions is incorporated into the layer. For example, trails are excluded from the open space layer because those features are maintained in a different dataset. Thin strips of planned green areas, such as medians and street right-of-ways, are also excluded from the layer. Lastly, drainage ditches and ponds are omitted unless they have recreational value beyond water retention. In general, an area of land needs to be developable to qualify for the layer.

Thank you for all of the data you have provided to assist in the creation of this data. Updates are ongoing, so if you find any parks or open areas that have been missed, please feel contact DRCOG to make the data as accurate as possible. Data collected will also be used as part of DRCOG's annual data request to make annual updates.

Download the data from the Regional Data Catalog
Download the map from Map Gallery 

 Neighborhood Delineation Tool

Article provided by Jennifer Newcomer, Director of Research, The Piton Foundation. Jennifer can be reached at 303-825-6246 or jnewwcomer@piton.org. 

The Piton Foundation's Data Initiative has a deep understanding of issues facing lower-income communities. Established in 1991, the Data Initiative has been a leader in Colorado for analyzing and sharing data to improve community decision-making.  It is a go-to source for comprehensive, accurate and easy-to-access neighborhood-level data.

In response to changing demographics and economic conditions in metro Denver, the Data Initiative is shifting its focus from a historically Denver-centric one to a 7-county regional view. The first web-based application that will be created with this expanded geographic reach is an updated Community Facts tool, which will offer free, neighborhood-level data.

As part of the Community Facts update, the Data Initiative is developing a classification scheme that will delineate neighborhoods for the entire metro region.  The Data Initiative created a mapping tool that allows residents and community members to provide feedback on draft neighborhood boundaries that have been identified. Through this tool, you can create a neighborhood map that will help the Data Initiative refine its delineation results. The deadline for providing feedback is September 19, 2014.

If you have questions about the mapping tool, or would like to receive regular updates on the new Community Facts tool's development, please contact Piton's director of research, Jennifer Newcomer.    

• Geospatial Conference in the Rockies (GeCo in the Rockies) is a joint conference between GIS in the Rockies and GeCo West, sponsored by GIS Colorado. GeCo in the Rockies 2014 - September 22-26 - Register now! 

• DRCOG Idea Exchange - August 21 - Stay tuned for an invite to this event. Typically, the DRCOG planning team hosts these meetings to get feedback from planners on a variety of Metro Vision topics. For this meeting, we will be focusing on data. A preliminary agenda includes: an overview of how DRCOG uses local data for analysis, a Data Portal demo, a Regional Equity Atlas demo, an intro to The Piton Foundation's Community Facts Tool, and a look at neighborhood delineations throughout the region.