Scott County Commission approves new aerial photos

BENTON, Mo. -- Low-flying planes and high-resolution cameras will provide a better map for Scott County's geographic information system.

During their regular meeting Tuesday, county commissioners approved spending $63,760.50 on Pictometry, an advanced form of aerial photography that provides images that include oblique views of buildings in addition to the usual view from directly above.

"Pictometry offers a closer view of the home and gets all four sides," according to Teresa Houchin, county assessor. "It's a more distinctive image of the property."

A GIS enables data, such as road centerlines and ambulance or fire districts, to be viewed and manipulated in a graphic format on computers. For many applications, the data is displayed over the top of aerial photographs.

The photography is scheduled to take place in the spring before trees get all their leaves back, according to Houchin, so structures surrounded by trees are clearly visible.

"We will have it incorporated into the system probably a couple of months after that," she said.

The focus this time will be on municipal areas and areas around the interstate, Houchin said, as that is where most of the changes have taken place.

"We're flying probably three-fourths of the county," she said. "Some of the rural areas don't change that much."

It has been several years since the county was last able to get updated aerial photography, according to Houchin.

"It's been three years -- four in the spring," she said. "There have been just so many changes since then. I want to try to keep it updated every three or four years because of all the changes."

The bill for the aerial photography will be paid off over a period of four years, Houchin said.

Pertinent address:

Benton, MO