The Town of Amherst, MA, a leader in the use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology, uses Esri's ArcGIS Online platform as a means to provide mobile and online access to a wealth of resources.

1. Staging the Enterprise
on ArcGIS Online
Giving the maps back to the people
(or…”how I avoid printing lots of maps”)
Michael Olkin
GIS Administrator
Town of Amherst, MA
www.amherstma.gov/maps
olkinm@amherstma.gov

2. Bridging the Gap
Full-Blown Desktop Client Web-Based Viewer

3. Bridging the Gap
Mobile Maps Targeted Web Map Apps
Embedded Web Map Apps

4. Harnessing ArcGIS Online
• Amherst’s Approach
– Web Maps on ArcGIS Online
• Mostly using Amherst’s ArcGIS for Server Services
• Some Hosted Feature Services
– Web Apps from Templates
• Strictly Javascript apps to ensure compatibility
– ArcGIS App for iOS/Android/Windows Phone
• We have thus far successfully avoided developing
custom apps for any of these platforms.

5. Example Projects
• Parking Revenue Tracking
• GIS Data Sharing
• Street Tree Management & Maintenance
• Invasive Species Inventory
• Trails & Conservation Land Maps
• Water / Sewer / Drain Maps
• Work Order Management
• Embedded Maps

6. Parking Revenue Tracking
New paperless pay-by-space meters introduced in 2011 in various
parking areas in Amherst Center.
Finally, an opportunity to track revenue at the parking space level.

7. Parking Revenue Tracking
2pm on a Friday in July, 2012
Finance Director: “Could you make me a map showing the past year’s
revenue by parking space? I have this spreadsheet…”

8. Parking Revenue Tracking

9. Parking Revenue Tracking

10. Parking Revenue Tracking

11. Parking Revenue Tracking
• Ingredients
– Spreadsheet of Revenue by Space
– Parking Space Point Layer
• Steps
– Join Parking Space Points w/ Revenue Spreadsheet
– Create thematic layer showing revenue by space
– Share as a feature service (hosted or on local AGS)
– Save & share a map containing this feature service
– Create & share a web map app from one of the
templates

12. GIS Data Sharing
www.amherstma.gov/gisdata
 One Stop Shopping
with a Gallery Page
Template
 Adapted from the
ArcGIS.com
“Local Government Maps
and Apps Gallery”
code sample.
http://bit.ly/AgsLgMapsApps

13. GIS Data Sharing
www.amherstma.gov/gisdata
Tiled Data
Downloads:
Orthophoto &
LiDAR Point
Clouds

14. GIS Data Sharing
www.amherstma.gov/gisdata
Data Extraction: great for large non-tiled datasets
• ArcGIS Server
Application
– ArcGIS API for
JavaScript
“Clip & Ship”
code sample
http://bit.ly/AgsClipShip
– Allows for choices in
data format

15. GIS Data Sharing
www.amherstma.gov/gisdata
 Townwide Datasets
Hosted on ArcGIS.com
as Layer Packages
 Presented with basic
Metadata
 Symbology included
 Designed for ArcGIS Users
 Link included to the equivalent
data in shapefile format, hosted
on our own server.

16. Street Tree Management
• Map Planned New Plantings
• Update Inventory Info
• Attach Photos
Feature Service
accessed via the
ArcGIS App for iOS
on an iPad

17. Street Tree Management
• Map Planned New Plantings
• Update Inventory Info
• Attach Photos
Feature Service
accessed via the
ArcGIS App for iOS
on an iPad

18. Invasive Species Inventory
A volunteer effort on Amherst Conservation Areas
conducted by a college student, Summer 2012

19. Trails & Conservation Land

20. Utility System Maps

21. Utility System Maps

22. Work Order Management

23. Work Order Management

24. Embedded Maps

25. Embedded Maps

26. Embedded Maps

27. Take Our Maps With You
Search for “Amherst”
in the ArcGIS App

28. Staging the Enterprise
on ArcGIS Online
Giving the maps back to the people
(or…”how I avoid printing lots of maps”)
Michael Olkin
GIS Administrator
Town of Amherst, MA
www.amherstma.gov/maps
olkinm@amherstma.gov