Public Access to County GIS Basemap Data: The Struggle Continues

Bruce Joffe, GISP
GIS Consultants
Piedmont, CA

In 2009, the California Court of Appeal affirmed the public's right to Santa Clara County's GIS basemap data, but the County has raised some new impediments. In 2010, the Sierra Club sued Orange County for access to their GIS parcel basemap, and lost in the trial court! They are now appealing the decision. We will discuss the facts of these cases and their implication for the GIS community.