Somerset County Launches Revamped GIS Website

SOMERSET COUNTY, NJ — There is a wealth of information available to the public on Somerset County’s newly revamped Geographic Information System website, now called the Geospatial Gateway.

With a few mouse clicks you can compare aerial images of municipalities and neighborhoods over a three-year span, see tax parcel information on properties in all 21 towns, and view a photo-illustrated locator map and information about county buildings, parks and other facilities.

The GIS website now can be used by individuals as well as by government and nonprofit agencies, law enforcement and businesses.

There is a quick link to the “GIS Maps & Apps” from the gray bar at the top of the county’s homepage at www.co.somerset.nj.us.

Sections currently available include:

• A tax parcel viewer, which includes addresses, land values, taxes, zoning and flood zone status, populated using information supplied by each municipal tax office.
• A County Facility Finder featuring an interactive map showing county government buildings, libraries, senior centers, golf courses and county parks. A photo, address and phone number are provided for each, along with web links for additional information.
• An aerial imagery comparison showing detailed views of properties from 2012 and 2015. By dragging a divider across the screen, you can see a before-and-after view of any location in the county.
• A map showing all county-owned roads by number.

Coming soon are links to the county’s shuttle bus routes on Google Transit, as well as an Election Polling Place Locator.

GIS applications are used by many county departments and divisions, including Public Works for road, bridge and traffic signal maintenance; the Planning Board to map sewer-service areas; Emergency Management for search-and-rescue; the Health Department for inspections; Engineering for maintaining open-space inventories and monitoring land-development projects; and the Prosecutor’s Office for Megan’s Law enforcement, among others.

For more information, contact the GIS team at gis@co.somerset.nj.us.

— By Linda VanZandt

(Screenshot of Geographic Information System website)

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