{"id":768276,"date":"2025-09-30T05:51:36","date_gmt":"2025-09-30T12:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/?post_type=blog&#038;p=768276"},"modified":"2025-10-29T15:12:08","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T22:12:08","slug":"tallahassee-gis-team-geospatial-ai-innovation","status":"publish","type":"blog","link":"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/about\/newsroom\/blog\/tallahassee-gis-team-geospatial-ai-innovation","title":{"rendered":"When Tornadoes Hit Tallahassee, AI Maps the Damage in Days Instead of Months"},"author":671,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"sync_status":"","episode_type":"","audio_file":"","transcript_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","castos_file_data":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[],"tags":[209732,474662,661,328502],"industry":[],"esri-blog-category":[478642,491052],"esri_blog_department":[478202,478212],"class_list":["post-768276","blog","type-blog","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","tag-city","tag-geospatial-ai","tag-operational-intelligence","tag-tallahassee","esri-blog-category-disaster-response","esri-blog-category-public-works","esri_blog_department-infrastructure","esri_blog_department-resilience"],"acf":{"video_source":"","video_start":"","video_stop":"","short_description":"Discover how Tallahassee uses cutting-edge geospatial AI to map storm damage in days instead of months, revolutionizing emergency response.","pdf":{"host_remotely":false,"file":"","file_url":""},"flexible_content":[{"acf_fc_layout":"sidebar","layout":"standard","image_reference":null,"image_reference_figure":"","spotlight_image":null,"section_title":"","spotlight_name":"","position":"Right","content":"Tallahassee \u2013 Leon County GIS (TLCGIS) demonstrates how a midsize government can punch above its weight by turning an experiment into a nationally recognized model for municipal AI innovation.\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Key Takeaways<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li>TLCGIS employees explore new technologies and methods to enhance workflows and service delivery.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Early adoption of geospatial AI improves operational efficiencies across departments of city and county government.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>Time saved from AI automation is reinvested in professional development to keep TLCGIS on the leading edge of technology.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>","snippet":""},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tallahassee\u2019s story begins with its trees. Shaded tunnels lined with moss-draped live oaks, sweet gums, and hickories trace centuries of history from pre-Columbian trails to Spanish missions and antebellum plantations.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Storms\u2014hurricanes and tornadoes\u2014take their toll on this green crown. When severe weather hits, public works crews with the city and county follow close behind to start repairs. But manual inspections can take weeks, even months, to assess the damage. Conventional aerial image analysis and digitization of old printed photos is not much faster.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Recently, Jason Cox, a systems analyst with Tallahassee \u2013 Leon County Geographic Information System (GIS) Department (TLCGIS), developed a new technique to expedite tree restoration. He uses AI models in GIS software to detect changes in tree density after storms. The model flags damage patterns found in before-and-after aerial images. The data and analysis feeds into GIS maps decision-makers can use to calculate repair costs and pinpoint resource allocation.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First responders are also using this powerful combination of GIS and AI, known as geospatial AI, to get in a better position during emergencies. Cox supplies rescue crews with smart maps that utilize geospatial AI datasets. These can recognize lanes in parking lots, alleyways, and commercial spaces to bring first responders closer to people in need.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cIt was something that we were able to generate <em>en masse<\/em>,\u201d Cox explained about the map improvements. \u201cIt took a couple of weeks of cleaning up the geometry and adding attribute information, and then we serve it to the public and to emergency response partners. It represents a big advancement\u2014providing that extra context that we didn't have before.\u201d<\/p>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[768283,768287,768282]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just a few years ago, integrating those pathways into first responders' navigation systems seemed like a far-off possibility. \u201cWe couldn't afford to do it,\u201d said Scott Weisman, head of TLCGIS and a 31-year veteran of the program. \u201cWe would have to hire people to do that manually, and we never had the resources to do it\u2014until now.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Encouraging Experimentation<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cox\u2019s path to geospatial innovation started 14 years ago when he was a fresh-faced temp with a new degree from the University of South Florida. Weisman brought Cox onto the team to help Leon County develop a faster, more accurate way to bill for solid waste and stormwater services. The work involved maintaining a large dataset\u2014all the residential buildings in the county and relevant classifications for service rates. The data needed regular updates, edits, and audits.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A knack for geoprocessing earned Cox a full-time position. He expanded his scope to other large datasets that needed frequent checks and updates. For a time, he managed the record of all the addresses in the county.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Esri's <a href=\"https:\/\/pro.arcgis.com\/en\/pro-app\/latest\/help\/analysis\/geoprocessing\/modelbuilder\/what-is-modelbuilder-.htm\">ModelBuilder<\/a> and Python programming whetted his appetite for automation. He devoured all the training and information he could find, eventually arriving at a blog post about the <a href=\"https:\/\/doc.arcgis.com\/en\/pretrained-models\/latest\/imagery\/introduction-to-building-footprint-extraction-usa.htm\">Building Footprint Extraction\u2013USA model<\/a>. This early geospatial AI model could automate a key workflow\u2014checking field images against recorded values in the dataset.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cox wanted to experiment, but at the time, TLCGIS computers didn\u2019t have the discrete graphics cards needed for early AI work. Using a gaming computer, Cox ran the model on an image of the entire 7,000-plus square miles of Leon County. It took four days to process but he found the feature output to be incredibly accurate.<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Doing More with Less<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The promise of AI-powered digital tools\u2014to do more with less\u2014is a familiar refrain heard by local government administrators. Often challenged to deliver services with reduced or stagnant budgets, officials look for ways to optimize. Over the years, TLCGIS has laid the track for dozens of departments to innovate with location intelligence. With geospatial AI, Weisman and Cox have a work multiplier\u2014an innovation high speed rail of their own.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tallahassee\u2019s recent AI-powered innovations join an already prodigious portfolio of projects:<\/p>\r\n\r\n<ul>\r\n \t<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tlcpermits.org\/\">Permit Finder<\/a><\/strong> integrates data from both the city and county permitting systems, offering a unified source for permit information. Users can access details on active permits, residential and non-residential permits, and specific data by entering a permit number or address. This consolidation streamlines the permitting process and enhances transparency.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The <strong>Flood Resource App<\/strong> (internal only) includes detailed basin data and layers related to flooding and storm surges. It is a crucial tool for planners and permitting offices, helping them make informed decisions about flood-prone areas and stormwater management. The app provides real-time information on water levels and potential flood risks, enhancing emergency preparedness and response.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The highly utilized <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/experience.arcgis.com\/experience\/6603276dcfdf49c5ac2b2f7bbabd606e#widget_12=zoom_to_selection=true:undefined&amp;zoom_to_selection=true\">Land Information App<\/a><\/strong> provides essential property-related information, such as ownership, zoning, and land use. It is a valuable resource for residents, businesses, and planners, offering detailed data that can be accessed easily and quickly.<\/li>\r\n \t<li>The<strong>\u00a0Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Dashboard<\/strong> (internal only) offers live data during emergencies, ensuring timely and informed decision-making. It features real-time maps of traffic accidents, road closures, and damaged buildings, which are critical for coordinating emergency response efforts and communicating with the public.<\/li>\r\n<\/ul>"},{"acf_fc_layout":"gallery","gallery_images":[768280,768278,768279,768281]},{"acf_fc_layout":"content","content":"<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>GIS Superpowers: Operationalizing Innovation<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Few local GIS offices can boast such a well-executed set of public sector GIS apps and tools.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Even fewer take on the responsibility of creating content for their city\u2019s bicentennial celebrations.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weisman explained, only half in jest, that TLCGIS staffs a resident historian. Marcus Curtis is an expert GIS analyst and insatiable history buff. He built the <a href=\"https:\/\/tlcgis.org\/history\">History in Your Hands<\/a> program for the 200<sup>th<\/sup> anniversary of the founding of the historic city in 2024. The map-guided exploration of Tallahassee neighborhoods garnered national media coverage and awards from historical societies. It brought about new and transformative connections.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cMarcus has reestablished plantation boundaries from old census maps and deeds,\u201d Weisman said. \u201cHe\u2019s catching the eye of real historians.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Other staffers pair GIS and website development, or GIS with Adobe Creative Cloud for print production.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Passion projects are part of an approach designed to raise the profile of TLCGIS across departments in Leon County. This visibility is crucial, given how the Tallahassee \u2013 Leon County government is structured.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TLCGIS serves the City of Tallahassee, Leon County Government, and the county property appraiser. They also collaborate with state agencies and provide mutual aid to other counties when called upon. Program costs are shared between partners. The more the offices collaborate and drive value outside the program, the more its recognition grows and expands into new projects.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cOne of the advantages of the structure we have in place\u2014it includes an executive level, a steering committee, and a user group level,\u201d Weisman explained. \u201cData sharing is streamlined because no memorandums of understanding are required. The trust within the program facilitates this process.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The city employs other GIS professionals outside of TLCGIS. Weisman\u2014and his dedicated team of 13 full-time employees and two interns\u2014evangelize about the technology and push the envelope of what GIS can do.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weisman takes great care in curating the TLCGIS team, handpicking individuals who have demonstrated a deep passion and creativity in their work.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The formula keeps morale high and turnover low. \u201cEveryone has what I call a superpower, a special skill\u2014they are a subject matter expert,\u201d Weisman said. \u201cPeople who can dig into a particular topic and become experts in it.\u201d<\/p>\r\n\r\n<h3 style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><strong>Cultivating the Geospatial AI Superpower<\/strong><\/h3>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Superpowers may take a few years to develop, but the signs are always there. Jason Cox, who designed the geospatial AI tree restoration assessment tool and first responder basemaps, demonstrates this evolution.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eventually, Weisman equipped Cox with workstation PCs from Lambda Labs designed for AI and machine learning workloads. Other office computers were upgraded with video cards and CPUs suited to geospatial AI workloads. Using pretrained geospatial AI models from <a href=\"https:\/\/livingatlas.arcgis.com\/en\/home\/\">ArcGIS Living Atlas of the World<\/a>, Cox developed applications for partner agencies: coloring historic aerial images, calculating service fees, and visualizing tree densities with geospatial AI.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cThe biggest benefit to us at TLCGIS is that geospatial AI significantly lowers the barrier to entry for updating our datasets,\u201d Cox said. \u201cIt saves me about three weeks of manual review every year just with building footprint extraction models alone.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The time saved is reinvested into the superpower. \u201cThere may be lots of organizations that are dipping their toe into AI and are doing some similar things,\u201d Weisman said. \u201cMost people are treading water to keep up with the requests they have come in, but we are fortunate to manage workloads and innovate at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The next frontier? Generative AI. Already, Cox has begun experimenting with large language models in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/arcgis\/products\/arcgis-pro\/overview\">ArcGIS Pro<\/a>. Specifically, the <a href=\"https:\/\/doc.arcgis.com\/en\/pretrained-models\/latest\/imagery\/introduction-to-vision-language-context-based-classification.htm\">Vision Language Context-Based Classification<\/a> models, using GPT-4 to query imagery to build out classifications and features. Cox adds, \u201cThe ability to kind of describe ground conditions\u2014not just extract features, identify features, but actually describe the condition of features and imagery\u2014I believe is nothing short of amazing.\u201d<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While terms like \u201csuperhuman\u201d describe how geospatial AI works, it\u2019s important to remember that silicon and algorithms alone don\u2019t solve problems.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TLCGIS reminds us that humans drive innovation. Humans with GIS superpowers who put geospatial AI to work to accomplish more.<\/p>\r\n<p style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Learn more about how <a href=\"https:\/\/www.esri.com\/en-us\/geospatial-artificial-intelligence\/overview\">artificial intelligence in GIS helps user analyze complex challenges with vast datasets to enhance operations<\/a>.<\/p>"}],"references":null},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v25.9 (Yoast SEO v25.9) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Tallahassee Turned a Crisis into an Advantage Using Geospatial AI<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how Tallahassee used geospatial AI to map storm damage, revolutionizing emergency response with innovative GIS technology.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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