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Millis planning board discusses digitizing bylaws and updating zoning map GIS files
Summary
Planning board members discussed the difficulty of redlining and updating the town’s zoning bylaws and maps, heard cost estimates for conversion software and grants, and agreed to return with a proposal to the Select Board.
Planning Board members on March 4 discussed converting the town’s scanned zoning bylaws into an editable digital format and creating an accurate, scaled GIS zoning map to simplify future edits and redlines.
Nicole and Paul (planning board members) said the board wants a Word-document version for collaborative redlining as changes are proposed. Jim from IT explained that the bylaws currently exist as scanned files and that converting them into an editable platform would require either a town software purchase or a contracted rekeying service. Jim cited a software option that he said would cost roughly $7,000 to convert the zoning bylaws (with a separate cost for other municipal booklets) and noted larger grant opportunities starting around $50,000 for a broader digitization effort across departments.
Members said the current map in use is decades old and not geographically accurate; Mike Carter of GCG Associates offered to create a current GIS-based zoning map by converting existing data into GIS files and importing up-to-date FEMA map overlays. Carter said the GIS product would be accessible and “accurate” going forward.
Board members asked for more detailed cost estimates and for the planning board to prepare a proposal to present to the Select Board. Paul and another member said they would prepare an outline and return with a recommendation at the next meeting. Resident Ellen Rosenfeld offered to help convert scanned PDFs to Word if needed; planning staff Camille confirmed a Word version is maintained for some documents and offered to circulate the file.
No formal vote was taken. The board agreed to return with a recommendation and to ask municipal officials for firm costs for software or contracted services before approaching the Select Board.
