How Montgomery County, MD, Used GIS Apps to Modernize Its Park Encroachment Workflow

Montgomery Parks, an organization that is part of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, prides itself on preserving and protecting land while also encouraging active living. Montgomery Parks owns 416 parks across Maryland’s Montgomery County, an area encompassing almost 38,000 acres.

As the largest landowner in the most populated county in the state whose land sits adjacent to many residential neighborhoods, the organization has long faced challenges with park encroachments. Resolving issues like illegal mowing, unauthorized children’s play structures, waterfront property modifications, and illegal dumping is often a lengthy process that can sometimes escalate to legal proceedings. This work had previously been managed through a paper-based process, later transitioning to PDFs and official documents stored on shared network drives, making tracking, coordination, and communication difficult and inefficient.

When John Gamba became construction section manager in park development, he approached Chris Weaver, technology coordinator, and Tiffany Wu, principal GIS specialist, to help with the much-needed modernization of the encroachment process. Together, Gamba, Weaver, and Wu set out to define and implement a workflow driven by geographic information system (GIS) technology. The goal was a GIS solution that would protect the integrity of the process while improving efficiency and transparency.

Wu was highly intentional in selecting and deploying tools from ArcGIS Online that would support everyone involved in the encroachment process. The solution, built using Esri software, includes a user-friendly web application created with ArcGIS Instant Apps and a streamlined data collection form using ArcGIS Survey123. These tools allow users to easily report encroachments, with park names and key attributes automatically populated based on location. The system also tracks who entered each record and supports automated notifications such as alerting park managers and other personnel at critical stages of the process using Microsoft Power Automate.

Staff like John Gamba can now use the web app and centralized data to move cases forward more effectively. The team also developed several role-specific applications to support different divisions. The Park Encroachments Viewer App is used internally by operations leadership, including division chiefs and regional operations managers. It provides comprehensive information on encroachments, including their status, and serves as an essential communication tool. Automated emails notify operations leadership when key milestones are reached, such as when cure letters or encroachment release letters are sent to property owners.

The Park Encroachments Park Police App highlights attachments such as PDFs and photos for efficient review and allows park police staff to update selected fields like incident numbers and notes. Automated notification emails include direct links to the map so park police can easily access the information they need.

ArcGIS Field Maps supports the Park Planning and Stewardship Division and the Horticulture, Forestry and Environmental Education Division staff working directly in the field. This mobile-friendly application contains all encroachment information and allows staff to update remediation-related fields, such as remediation status and planting dates. Automated emails notify the team when action is required, providing direct access to the map for real-time updates.

Using Esri technology to easily build and customize applications, as well as remote data collection apps, the Montgomery Parks team completely modernized the encroachment process. By bringing together seven divisions into a single, streamlined, and transparent GIS workflow, and replacing fragmented, document-heavy processes with online tools and mobile apps, Montgomery Parks has improved communication and efficiency.

Most importantly, the GIS-driven approach Gamba and his team implemented strengthens their agency’s ability to fulfill its mission. Using geospatial technology, they can more effectively protect parkland, preserve natural resources, and ultimately safeguard the county’s common open spaces for current and future generations.