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City presents GIS projects, public parks amenity finder and online permitting improvements
Summary
Minnetonka staff showcased expanded uses of geographic information systems (GIS) across city departments, including a parks amenity finder, right‑of‑way permitting, hydrant maintenance dashboards and public project maps.
The Minnetonka City Council on May 19 received an update on the city’s geographic information system, known as GIS, and heard examples of recent and planned applications across departments.
Matt Harding, GIS analyst in public works, told the council that GIS usage has increased “exponentially” over the last three years and described several recent deployments: a public parks amenity finder launched in May that lets residents filter parks by amenities; mobile hydrant inspection tools that update a maintenance dashboard in real time; a digital right‑of‑way permitting system that replaces email and PDF workflows; and a public “current projects” map for building and infrastructure work.
Harding said the GIS team is small—three full‑time staff and interns—but supports citywide needs including utilities, parks, natural resources and housing dashboards. He cited a recent tree‑and‑shrub presale that used canopy and temperature data to target outreach in parts of the city with lower tree cover. Harding noted the team’s ties to regional user groups and that GIS maps and apps are increasingly used to “tell stories” and convey analysis beyond traditional charts or spreadsheets.
Council members praised the work and asked questions about metrics and applications. City Manager Funk and councilors noted that GIS data feed the city’s strategic profiles and performance measures.
Harding said the team began four seasonal internships the day of the meeting and that one intern traveled from the University of British Columbia to participate. Councilors encouraged continued cross‑departmental uses and said they expect more presentations as GIS expands.
