City of Paso Robles

Jeff Legato serves as the GIS Managerfor the City of Paso Robles, where he leads ArcGIS Enterprise implementation, supports data-driven decision-making, promotes cross-department information sharing and develops accessible geospatial tools that help manage infrastructure, economic development, municipal operations, as well as provide information to the public.

When Paso Robles’ economic development team needed maps of critical infrastructure near Paso Robles Municipal Airport to use in the potential development of a Space Port, I directed staff to an existing GIS application. The application contains information about water lines, sewer networks and other infrastructure, which staff can export as PDF maps for prospective businesses interested in locating near the airport, subject to sharing restrictions.

At the City of Paso Robles, GIS supports work across virtually every department. Its value goes beyond mapping, as geographic data helps staff analyze conditions, make informed decisions and explain those decisions to the public. I regularly receive requests to develop mapping applications that help employees access and understand information relevant to their work.

I am implementing ArcGIS Enterprise to meet these needs, giving staff the ability to view and edit geographic data and use web and mobile mapping applications tailored to their roles.

Connecting Departments Through Shared Geographic Data

One of my biggest challenges is getting departments to share their data. For example, the water department may have detailed records of valves, pipelines and other infrastructure. Staff may hesitate to share those records because colleagues in other departments might not understand the technical details.

I help departments understand the benefits of sharing information. When employees can access data beyond their own responsibilities, they get a clearer picture of what's happening across the city.

Sharing geographic information also helps improve data quality. Different perspectives can uncover errors and gaps in records. As departments see the value of sharing, they're generally more willing to collaborate.

Making data available is only part of the job; people need to be able to understand it, too. Since not everyone has a technical background, I focus on keeping applications simple and easy to use. For example, if someone needs to view city council districts, I create an application that clearly displays the boundaries without cluttering the map with unnecessary information.

ArcGIS Enterprise supports different ways for employees to access and work with geographic information. My goal is to build applications around what staff actually need rather than give them more information or complexity than necessary.

Supporting Economic Development While Protecting Sensitive Information

Paso Robles is pursuing an initiative involving the development of a Space Port allowing for the testing and potential launch of small space-related vehicles from its airport. As part of those efforts, economic development staff asked how they could provide prospective businesses with maps showing existing infrastructure near the airport.

Our internal GIS applications already contain the relevant water and sewer information, allowing staff to export maps for interested businesses without creating new datasets or preparing each map from scratch.

Sharing this information requires careful consideration of security. Some infrastructure records contain sensitive details that should not be publicly available. Federal guidance recognizes that certain critical infrastructure information needs protection from unauthorized disclosure.

I generally favor sharing data within the city because more people examining it can help improve its quality. Public access is different. Department heads help determine what can be shared externally, what should remain internal and what should be restricted to specific groups.

It's a balancing act: employees need access to the information required for their work, but sensitive infrastructure details must be protected from inappropriate disclosure.

Keeping Up With Changing GIS Technology

ArcGIS Enterprise is complicated, and no one can know everything about it. It also relies on supporting technologies such as SQL Server, so I have to keep track of software updates, compatibility and changes that could affect connected systems.

As the city's only GIS specialist, I would benefit from having colleagues nearby to exchange ideas with and work through technical challenges. To help address that, I participate in the San Luis Obispo County GIS Community of Interest and a local GIS user group. These groups connect me with GIS professionals from the county, nearby cities and other agencies, allowing us to share knowledge and learn from one another.

Artificial intelligence could change my work substantially over the next five to ten years. Esri is developing AI capabilities that may allow users to request maps and charts in everyday language. For example, someone could describe the information they want to emphasize and ask the system to generate a map.

It's difficult to predict exactly how these tools will develop or how quickly they'll change the way we work. My approach is to stay informed, read technical publications, follow Esri's developments and keep learning from other GIS professionals.

Ultimately, my goal is to make geographic information easier for Paso Robles employees and citizens to access, understand and use in their decisions, while ensuring that sensitive information is shared responsibly.