Establishing AuthorityThe Geographic Information Coordinating Council is charged with fostering cooperation among government agencies, universities and the private sector, creating policy and resolving technical issues related to North Carolina’s geographic information and GIS systems.
In 2001, the North Carolina General Assembly passed Session Law 2001-359, establishing the Geographic Information Coordinating Council by law. It also confirmed the role of the Center for Geographic Information and Analysis as staff to the Council with additional responsibilities to provide Internet access to State geographic information. See
North Carolina General Statutes Article 76, §143-725 through §143-727.
The Council
reports annually to the Governor and to the General Assembly. Read the governing
bylaws.
MembersGICC members are appointed by the Governor, the North Carolina Senate, the North Carolina House, or serve ex officio, by virtue of their office.
Current official members.
Attending members include the official members, or the individual designated to represent their offices at Council meetings.
Current Council Attendees.
StaffThe Center for Geographic Information and Analysis is staff to the NC GICC, and maintains this website. Contact staff at
tim.johnson@nc.gov or by telephone, 919.754.6580.
Brief History of the GICCThe creation of the Geographic Information Coordinating Council and its governing provisions were based on the recommendations of the “GIS Planning Task Force.” The task force was formed in January 1991 by the Information Technology Commission (ITC), which was chaired by the Governor and included members of the Council of State and leaders in the field of information management, both within and outside state government. The GIS Planning Task Force recommendations included a mission statement, the functions of GIS coordination, and the organizational structure in order to achieve them. The result: The Geographic Information Coordinating Council (GICC) was established through Executive Order #147 issued on July 30, 1991 by Governor James G. Martin.
A successive Executive Order No. 16 was issued by Governor James B. Hunt Jr. on May 21, 1993 to continue the Council structure and responsibilities, as well as stipulate duties for the Center for Geographic Information and Analysis which included the provision of services to state agencies, staffing the Council and its committees, and providing for a state clearinghouse for the exchange of digital geographic information.
The mission as envisioned by the GIS Planning Task Force in 1991 still forms the basis for current GICC activity.
The GICC seeks to:
- Foster voluntary cooperation among state, federal, and local government agencies, academic institutions, and the private sector relative to geographic information;
- Improve the quality, access, cost-effectiveness and utility of North Carolina’s geographic information and resources, and promote geographic information as a strategic resource for the state;
- Efficiently collect, develop and use geographic information through voluntary exchange and sharing of data and computer technology;
- Explore, guide and provide an administrative framework for geographic information coordination including:
- Developing standards
- Strategic planning
- Resolution of policy and technical issues
- Providing central direction and oversight
- Advising the Governor and the Legislature as to needed directions, responsibilities and funding regarding geographic information.
The GICC works through a committee structure that includes three GIS user committees representing state government agencies (SGUC), local governments (LGC), and federal government agencies with a presence in North Carolina (FIC). The Statewide Mapping Advisory Committee and GIS Technical Advisory Committee draw members from all three user committees.
Adopting Policies and Standards
The need for policies and standards at the state level was a primary motivation for forming the Council. Important standards have been adopted through the years involving, among others, GPS equipment data collection and documentation, a standard classification system for the mapping of land use and land cover, geographic data content standard for water distribution and sanitary sewer systems, geographic data content standard for transportation roads data, and a data content standard for metadata. Read more about Standards.
Policies express Council directions and the State’s participation in national initiatives. Recent policies involve the state’s direction for acquisition of Digital Orthophotography; Horizontal Reference, Datum and Unit of Measure; the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Partnership Agreement; and Guidelines for Providing Appropriate Access to Geospatial Data in Response to Security Concerns. The Council passes resolutions in support of national efforts.
The GICC was instrumental in providing the first statewide basemaps of digital orthophotography: 1993 (black and white), and 1998 (color infrared). Although these products were at a lower resolution (1:12,000 scale), it provided the impetus for the collection of higher resolution (1:1,200 scale) local government orthophotography across the state. Through the GICC’s cost-sharing program, this State managed and federally-funded program has provided one million dollars to local governments for acquisition of orthophotography.
Read more about Policies.
To get detailed information about the issues before the council, please refer to the Annual Reports.