Open geospatial data: A comparison of data cultures in local government

Public geospatial data (geodata) is created at all levels of government, including federal, state, and local (county municipal). Local governments, in particular, are critical sources geodata because they produce foundational datasets, such as parcels, road centerlines, address points, land use, elevation. These datasets sought after by other public agencies for aggregation into state national frameworks, researchers analysis, cartographers to serve base map layers. Despite the importance this data, policies about whether it free open vary from place place. As a result, some regions offer hundreds public, while their neighbors may have zero, preferring restrict them due privacy, economic, or legal concerns.
 Minnesota relies on an approach that allows counties choose themselves if open. By contrast, its neighboring Wisconsin has passed legislation requiring specific must be freely available public. This paper compares implications outcomes these diverging cultures.