GIS Service Center

What is GIS?
A GIS, or Geographic Information System, is a method of managing, analyzing, and displaying geographic information on computer generated maps. This data is spatially referenced to the earth. GIS gives one the ability to create distinct layers of information and link to tabular information. GIS is a system of hardware, software, and procedures designed to support the capture, management, manipulation, analysis, modeling and display of spatially referenced data for solving complex planning and management problems. (NCGIA lecture by David Cowen, 1989)

Looking for Basic GIS Data?
If you're looking for GIS data, you should first visit the Vermont Center for Geographic Information web site. VCGI maintains and distributes a wealth of GIS data. All of the statewide base data layers, such as roads, town boundaries, and surface water, as well as many more specialized data layers, are available for download. Their "GIS Starter Kit" CD also contains many of the standard data sets.

GIS at CVRPC
Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission serves as a regional GIS service center for Central Vermont, providing data services to its member towns in Washington County and and three Orange Couny towns.

The Central Vermont Regional Planning Commission has been using GIS technology since 1989. We serve 23 towns in Central Vermont and cooperate with many non-profit organizations that work in our region. We provide GIS services to CVRPC staff on projects that involve transportation, land use, and natural resources planning, emergency planning, and community and economic development. The GIS program includes creating, maintaining and updating data layers for parcel mapping, zoning, land use, transportation, natural resources and utilities planning. CVRPC is responsible for technical data and application design, development, documentation, conversion, spatial and tabular analysis, information policy and dissemination, conversion and management of regional demographic and economic.

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS) Data Sets Available:
Our data is available Statewide, regionally and townwide depending on the specific type of data and the geographic location.

• Current Land use

• Transportation

• E911 Data

• Land Cover/Land use

• Surface Waters

• Zoning (where applicable)

• Structures (where available)

• Soils

• Slopes & Contours

• Wetlands & Special Natural Areas

• Political and Administrative Boundaries

• Parcel Data (click for available layers)

• Demographics

We create and maintain many historic and current studies, statistics, plans and maps for environmental, land use, economic, demographic, transportation, capital planning and related issues for the municipalities in our Region. Many are available as hardcopy (paper) or computer files (various formats) at the cost of duplication.

Learn More About GIS?
Want to find out more about GIS? Visit the Vermont Center for Geographic Information's excellent GIS Links page (go to http://www.vcgi.org/, then click on "VGIS Links" under Networking in the navigation bar). There you can find links to state agencies in and around Vermont, and also find out more information on GIS, GPS and other mapping topics.

Contact Information

For more information on GIS data in Central Vermont please contact Daniel Currier, Ashley Andrews, or Tom McKennon at 229-0389, or email Dan at currier@cvregion.com, Ashley at  andrews@cvregion.com, or Tom at mckennon@cvregion.com