Aerial photos to spot buildings

Another county with this software made its investment back in three weeks.
By LAURE CIOFFI
VINDICATOR PENNSYLVANIA BUREAU
NEW CASTLE, Pa. -- Lawrence County will have an eye in the sky.
County commissioners agreed to a contract with Pictometry International Corp. of Rochester, N.Y., to take aerial photographs of the county and provide software that will enable the county assessor's office to detect any new or additional building structures.
The contract will not exceed $19,950.
J.R. Hardester, county assessor, said Greene County in southwestern Pennsylvania has the same contract with Pictometry International and made back its initial investment in three weeks by finding buildings that were not on the tax rolls.
Hardester said some new construction or additions to buildings are not added to the tax rolls when the homeowner does not get a building permit. This software will eliminate that problem.
He said the company will take the aerial photographs this fall, and those will be compared with aerial photographs the county had taken in 1998 and 2004. He said the accompanying software will allow the county to measure buildings within a foot of the actual size. This will allow them to determine whether any additions had been made to buildings, he said.
Hardester added that aerial photographs will be taken every two years under the contract.
Other uses
In addition to helping the assessor's office, the new program will help 911 and law enforcement, Hardester said.
It will give a footprint of each building as well as any obstructions, such as large trees that would be helpful to law enforcement when entering a house, he said.
Hardester said he believes the new software will make up for the loss of two positions in his office in the last year. It will enable his smaller staff to work more efficiently.
Hardester said he also intends to make it available to local municipalities.
"This is something that could provide better communication between all the municipalities. It's something that could benefit more than just my office," he said.
cioffi@vindy.com