Lincoln County Commissioners are considering an $86,000 upgrade to a series of photographs used in planning, economic development and emergency management that could benefit the whole county. The “orthophotographs” are available for purchase from the state, as part of a state and federally funded program.

The photographs are similar to Google Earth maps, but are much more detailed, according to County Planner Bob Faunce. Some of the most basic maps are currently being used by emergency dispatch employees to identify roads and landmarks, but an upgrade would offer more information at their fingertips for first responders. 

The photos have many other uses, including public works and land use planning, tax map preparation, emergency planning and for economic development projects.

Commissioners agreed back in February to participate in a state-wide othoimagery aerial mapping project. If all counties agreed to participate, the cost of such a project would be split three ways: between the state; the counties and the federal government. The buy-in would cost Lincoln County $13,000 for basic mapping.

Faunce encouraged commissioners during their most recent meeting to purchase the upgrade for the entire county, hence the $86,000 price tag. He said individual towns can upgrade to better photographs on their own, but timing and costs are a problem.

The flights to take the photographs will take place next spring and contracts for the individual upgrade with the state are due in by February, Faunce said. This poses a problem, since town meetings occur after the due date and selectmen need approval from voters. Also, towns get a reduced rate if the county agrees to a bulk purchase. 

The county-wide purchase would cut 26 percent off a total price ($113,000). This “buy up” price would give county towns a mid-grade photo, but towns would be able to upgrade further. The options are measured in pixel size: 12-inch, 6-inch and 3-inch.

Faunce said he has given several presentations in Lincoln County towns. Most towns were in favor of a county-wide ortho imagery upgrade, except for one, he said. Town officials expressed their interest in using the images for tax map preparation and emergency services.

What is 'orthophotography'?

Orthophotos are different from typical aerial photographs in that they have been “ortho-corrected,” to show accurate representations of the terrain below. 

According to Gary Smith, President of Green Mountain GeoGraphics in S. Burlington, Vt., orthophotography has been in commercial use since the early 1970s. In a paper written for a geospacial technology conference, Smith references information from the state of Vermont's Orthophoto Mapping Program to describe orthophotography. 

Aerial photos must go through a series of “corrections” to create the othophoto, which is an accurate representation of the terrain below the camera lens. The process of making an orthophoto removes lens distortion, relief displacement and other elements that would alter a true representation. 

The end product shows accurate proportions of the objects on the ground. An upgraded orthophoto would give county staff, planners, emergency personnel and town officials detailed information about the location and proportions of buildings, hills, streams, as well as property boundary line features. 

Westport Island resident Dennis Dunbar said the town might not need the upgraded photos for tax mapping purposes. He led an effort in a tax map committee that created a point-and-click tax map for residents to help identify property values online. 

While orthophotos might be useful for other applications and more densely populated towns, Dunbar said the Google Earth image they used for the map works quite well for their purposes. Woolwich selectmen heard a presentation on the ortho photos, but like some towns in Lincoln County, had not decided on purchasing an upgrade.

The town of Damariscotta had, according to Town Manager Matt Lutkus. His town's Board of Selectmen had agreed to purchase the higher resolution photos through Faunce and the Lincoln County Regional Planning Commission following a meeting last spring. Lutkus said the town does not have the photos, but officials there are waiting to see whether or not commissioners will approve a county-wide purchase. 

“I think it would be a great tool for us,” Lutkus said. In addition to public works projects, Damariscotta could use the images to local utilities, planning and economic development. 

Lutkus also thinks the higher resolution photos would help with tax assessments. The difference is in the details. Lutkus said properties would still need on-site evaluations, but the photos would enable to make some property value determinations as they would be able to see changes such as home building additions and other improvements. 

The next step in this photo project depends upon a decision by commissioners. Lincoln County Administrator John O'Connell said the subject may come up during the county's Budget Advisory Committee work session on Thursday, Oct. 25 at the Communications Center in Wiscasset.