The Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission (CCRPC) and Blue Raster will give a short oral presentation on the approach and the GIS tools used to create a user-friendly web-based experience for the ECOS Regional Plan. CCRPC has been producing a Regional Plan to protect the county’s resources and to guide its development since 1976. CCRPC has branded their regional plan as the ECOS Regional Plan, a sustainability plan for the most populous county in VT. Currently, the ECOS Plan consists of disparate content types consisting of 8 pdf documents of existing conditions and policy, 70+ GIS Layers in a web map viewer, and 100+ indicators for tracking progress on the ECOS strategies. This has made access and useability a challenge.
For the 2026 update, CCRPC wanted a solution to better integrate all the types of content that makes up the ECOS Plan to increase understanding of the ECOS Plan among community audiences. CCRPC has partnered with Blue Raster to build the ECOS Plan website on ESRI’s Hub platform.
Using ArcGIS Hub Premium, Blue Raster designed and deployed a visually pleasing user-friendly Hub site for CCRPC’s ECOS Plan. The ECOS Plan Hub site brings to life the dense pdf document by using a topic-based icon system to connect community users with their topic of interest with just a few clicks. A user can then access key insights on that topic portrayed through short narratives, geo-spatial data and indicators. Additionally, the user can choose to translate the site into numerous languages using Hub’s translation widget.
Most of the data indicators for Chittenden County come from the Decennial Census and American Community Survey. Because CCRPC is committed to keeping the ECOS Plan data indicators current on an annual basis, they were looking for a solution to minimize manual updates and processing time. Blue Raster configured Hub to connect to ESRI’s Living Atlas and Community Analyst, so the ECOS Plan site is updated as soon as new data is available. This required custom coding of the Hub’s chart widget to connect to these services. Blue Raster also customized the chart widget to expand the number of variables and formatting of the charts shown on each ECOS Plan topic page.
Learn how CCRPC collaborated with Esri partner Blue Raster on a Hub site to connect community and increase understanding of the CCRPC ECOS plan by using the Living Atlas, dynamic charts and more!
Vermont, one of the most rural states in the U.S., is leading the charge to expand broadband internet access to its citizens. The Vermont Community Broadband Board (VCBB) is responsible for overseeing this work and distributing funding to and collaborating with regional collaborators. Stone Environmental, an Esri Silver Business Partner, empowered the VCBB with ArcGIS Online to manage data. Learn how Stone and the VCBB use ArcGIS Hub, ArcGIS Dashboards, and Experience Builder to bridge the digital divide in Vermont. We'll dive into a specific case study looking at the State-led BEAD Challenge process and the challenges and unique solutions Stone configured to meet federal requirements and the needs of Vermont addresses lacking adequate access to broadband services.
Mary is a talented GIS project professional with experience leveraging advanced-level GIS services in a range of technical projects. Before joining Stone, she applied her skills at the Vermont Agency of Transportation, where she administered geodatabases and mapping services with... Read More →
In the field of public engagement, the effective collection, analysis, and presentation of data are essential to fostering community involvement and informed decision-making. Esri’s ArcGIS offers a suite of powerful tools designed to seamlessly integrate these facets, notably Survey123, Dashboards, and StoryMaps. This presentation showcases the collaborative use of these ArcGIS products to enhance public engagement across a Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) planning project with the Androscoggin Transportation Resource Center.
Survey123 plays a pivotal role in gathering public input and feedback efficiently. This tool enables project teams to collect georeferenced data from participants, ensuring that public opinions and observations are spatially contextualized. Surveys can be customized to address specific needs such as community needs assessments, call out areas of concern and allows the public to voice any additional thoughts they may have. By utilizing Survey123, communities can engage with diverse demographics, ensuring that a broad spectrum of voices is heard and considered in the decision-making process.
Once data is collected, ArcGIS Dashboards deliver an intuitive platform for analyzing and interpreting the information. Dashboards can be tailored for both public and private viewers, providing real-time insights and visualizations that are crucial for transparency and responsive planning. Through interactive charts, maps, and lists, stakeholders gain a comprehensive understanding of the collected data, thereby informing decisions and strategies effectively for a successful project.
Finally, StoryMaps combines narrative text, images, and multimedia with geographic data to create compelling, interactive presentations of project findings and additional details. This tool transforms raw data into an engaging story, facilitating a deeper connection with the audience and enabling a broader understanding of the project's impacts and objectives. The storytelling aspect is crucial for bridging the gap between data and the public, making complex information accessible and engaging.
By leveraging Survey123 for data collection, Dashboards for analysis, and StoryMaps for presentation, this integrated approach not only enhances data-driven decision-making but also fosters greater public participation and engagement. Attendees will gain insights into the practical applications, benefits, and best practices of using ArcGIS products in community-engaged projects, ultimately driving more inclusive and informed outcomes.
